Something Happened
by wicherwill
Summary: Tomoyo, the tomboy. Eriol, the suave ladies man. TomoyoandEriol, joined at the hip...until Tomoyo left, unable to bear Eriol's love for another. Years later, they meet again. Something Happened is the story of two otomodachis...now falling in love. DONE
1. Memories

Snowflakes fell gently onto the already covered ground, coating the odd angel or cross with a dusting worthy of the heavens. Some of them landed on a solitary figure reading a stone slab, the date showing it was implanted not six months earlier.

Here lies the body of…

_~*flashback*~ _

"A Mr…_Hiira_gizawa?"

A man, who could only be Hiiragizawa Eriol, stood up quickly, his eyes still slightly red. Just moments ago he had held a small bundle of joy, his own daughter. His life couldn't have been any better. And then…"Yes, that's me. How is she? No, how are _they_?"

Baba Jun, the nurse on duty, led the young man to a small room that they had reserved for confrontations like this. The Black Room, they called it. She had been working in the ICU for close to forty years now, but it never became any better.

"Mr. Hiiragizawa, I'm afraid your wife's condition has worsened. She's…she's in the ICU now," she maintained eye contact, knowing it to be crucial, "and I'm…you see, she knew of the complications from before, but we're very hopeful that the new surgery will help, however-"

"She's going to die, isn't she?"

Jun's eyes widened. Never in all her years had someone arrived to that conclusion that fast. Eyes falling, she pressed on, "Well sir, she knew that there would be problems with internal bleeding. She told me how much you wanted a child during her pre-check ups. If I may say, she loved this baby more than her life."

"She's going to die, isn't she?"

Jun took a deep breath and looked up. "Yes, sir, she is."

Hours later, when she filled out her resignation form, when asked for why she wanted to quit, she wrote, "I have worked here for what seems like a thousand years and seen terrible minutes of deep sadness, but today I have seen a thousands year's worth of sadness in a minute."

~*~

Hiiragizawa Mina stared at Akizuki Nakuru solemnly, holding out a small stack of envelopes. They were gaily coloured, and Nakuru stared at them quizzically.

"Nani?"

"Nakuru, I'm dying. Don't even try and deny it, I know that all your magic mumbo-jumbo is telling you that I'm fading. But I want my daughter to know me. You know, my mother died when I was 19? While I was sad that she died, I kept on thinking, hey! at least I got to know her. So, for my daughter, I've written nine letters, for each of her first nine birthdays. Promise me you'll give them to her?"

Nakuru took the letters with a shaking hand, willing herself to be able to, just this once, say something meaningful. "Mina-sama, I-I don't know what to say."

"Of course you don't. I wasn't expecting anything subtle from you. If I were, I would have asked for Spinel. Smile, please? My world's falling apart, but some things should remain the same."

Nakuru half-swiped at her eyes, smiling. "Will do, Mina-san. Will do." She took the letters, admiring the detailed drawings. "Oh, you know that Eriol-sama is right outside the door?" she waved with one hand, opening the door.

Eriol walked in and sat down, registering in the back of his mind that Nakuru – bless her – had gone out and closed the door. Rocking back and forth, he cast around for something to say, absently rubbing his finger over her hand.

"You are…very bad." Eriol clenched his wife's hand, smacking it lightly. She looked at him, smiling with sad eyes.

"Eriol, you know you wanted a child."

"I want you too."

"Well, she looks like me a little. She has my hair. Seems like she has your eyes, however."

"What, the glasses?"

"No, baka, the colour. The doctors left that field blank on the form, you know. Her eyes didn't stay the same colour for two seconds."

"That means she has my-"

"Your magic, yes." When he fell silent, she rolled her eyes, "Eriol, you couldn't have done anything."

"I should have been able to save you."

"Eriol…"

"Mina…"

"Eriol."

"Mina."

"Eriol, promise me something."

"Anything, Mina."

"Promise me-promise me you won't cry?"

Eriol whipped his head around, turning his head away from the tear-streaked face of his wife. "That's not fair."

"Please? For me?"

Eriol took a deep breath, and sat on the edge of the bed. "I promise. But no-"

"Promise me something else?"

Eriol bit his lip to keep from crying. He shook his head, the movements jerky.

"Please, Eriol?"

"…yes, Mina?"

Mina blinked hard a few times, then summoned up her courage and took her husband's face in her hands. Now or never. "Promise me…promise me you'll name our daughter…Tomoyo?"

_~*end flashback*~ _

Eriol turned around and sprinted out of the cemetery.

**~*TBC*~ **

**A/N**: _Based_ on the Bollywood film _Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Something Happened/Happening/Will Happen)_. Read and review!

wicherwill ^_^


	2. Mother

_Promise me you'll name our daughter Tomoyo?_

A young girl leant against the side of a small bridge, throwing leaves into the steady river. Her pale skin made a sharp contrast to her dark uniform, which was of the same shade as her long, straight hair, pinned away from her face.

She turned to grab more leaves when a gigantic bouquet of flowers was thrown in front of her face. She sighed exaggeratedly and looked away. The flowers were thrown over the side of the bridge, and a fancy box of chocolates replaced them. When she turned away again, they were replaced with some insanely thick, gold-and-leather covered book. She scrunched her nose and then grabbed it, starting to walk down the bridge.

The gift-giver looked up for a second as if praying then ran after her. "Come now, Tomoyo, please?"

Tomoyo stopped and then turned around deliberately, her hair flying around her body. "You. Are. Late…_again_."

Eriol crouched down. "Come now, I'm only…one hour late. It's an improvement, isn't it?"

Tomoyo put one hand on her hip, tilting her head to one side. When she spoke, her speech was concise, her voice clear and very high. "Papa, I wanted to watch my TV show. I needed to practice for the competition. But I had to come and do your errands," she pulled out a sealed envelope, "since your indolent secretary wouldn't do it. This is too much, father, too much!"

Eriol bowed his head, faking a tear. "I'm so sorry, Tomoyo. I…I'm so sorry." His whole body shook with sobs.

Tomoyo put a hand on his shoulder. "Papa?" When she got no answer, she dropped her book and shook him with both hands. "Papa, I'm sorry. Please forgive me?"

"You feel bad?" His voice was shaky.

"Yes."

"Okay." He looked up, grabbing her by the waist. Tomoyo shrieked with laughter, then pulled away. Her face became deathly blank, as did her father's. Looking up at his standing form, her eyes crinkled for a second. In sync, father and daughter slapped left hand to left hand, right hand to right hand, and then twitched each other's noses.

Satisfied, Tomoyo picked up her book and let herself be picked up by her father. "Aren't you free the rest of the day?"

Eriol pretended to think for a second. "Hmm…let's see. Something important is happening today…"

"Yes, it is."

"Is it laundry day?"

"No."

"Is it Nakuru's turn to try and cook?"

"No!"

"Then what could it be?"

"Papa!"

"Oh, yes. It's Tomoyo's…competition! Come, shall we go and win?"

"Yes!"

~*~

Eriol waved good-bye to his daughter and went through the front doors of the Richardson Auditorium, located on campus of Tomoyo's school. Spotting a head of red hair, he sped up.

"Nakuru! How long have you been here?"

"Just a few minutes. We just arrived." She looked towards her purse. Spinel popped out.

"Ah, Eriol-sama. Is she ready?"

"Tomoyo is set to win."

"Not if my Catherine can help it!"

Eriol and Nakuru (and Spinel) turned around and collectively mentally groaned. "Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Gribbin," Eriol plastered on a large fake smile, "I'm sure it will be a great competition."

"Yes, yes it will! Has Tomoyo been practising?"

"She's poised to do very well."

"Oh, she will! She'll come in second, right after my Catherine!"

"We'll see, won't we? Oh look, the lights are dimming." Eriol turned around and rolled his eyes at Nakuru, who smirked. Mr. Gribbin was possibly the most irritating person on the face of the earth.

A lady walked to the front of the stage holding a microphone. "Welcome, Ladies and Gentlemen, to the 27th Annual One-Minute Wonders Competition! As you know, the entire fourth grade class of The Academy of England participates every year. Each contestant will come forward when his or her name is called, and will pick a topic from this box. When the timer starts, they will have one minute to talk on the topic that they picked. Our judges will then pick the winner based on whoever presents the best. Are you ready? Then, let's welcome our first contestant, Amanda Berk!"

Eriol half dozed as a number of stuttering English school children bumbled their way through a minute of, "Um…chocolate is yummy. It, er, is, um, brown. Chocolate is, uh…delicious?" He awoke with a start when Nakuru elbowed him in the side.

"And next, Catherine Gribbin."

The prim little girl walked over to the judges' stand and shook hands with every one of them. Smiling, she pulled out a topic. "I got 'church'. Okay…Christians are supposed to go to church every Sunday. You go there and sit on a pew for three hours as a preacher talks about how sinful we all are. Afterwards we listen to a group of people sing hymns that are heavenly. The Queen and the bishop of Canterbury or York lead the Church of England. The Church of England is Anglican. Every Christmas we go to Church for a midnight mass, and celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ. We also go on Easter. Church…oh, Father says that by going to Church, we will become better people and go to heaven, where angels sing and God will be happy with us for all eternity. Mother says that by going to church, Grandmother will be pleased and we will get the big house. Okay, finished."

Eriol fought to stifle his laughter as Mrs. Gribbin turned red behind him. These bratty kids…he was glad that Tomoyo wasn't like that.

"And next, Tomoyo Hiiragizawa!"

Eriol clapped as Tomoyo walked across the stage and took a topic. She winked at him, and then stood at the centre of the stage. Unfolding it, she cleared her throat. "I got-" She froze.

Eriol frowned, leaning forward in his chair, as a second became a long moment. This was not like Tomoyo; they had practiced together, and she could talk for two minutes on the history and usage of the letter 'a'. But now, she was fidgeting with her hair.

"Watashi…ano, I mean I…" Tomoyo took a long, shuddering breath and tried to pull herself together. She trembled, her voice barely audible, "I got…mother." There was a pause, and then she wiped at her eyes and turned around. "I – I'm sorry, I…mother, I-"

"Mother is someone who loves us with all her heart." Eriol walked slowly down the middle aisle, smiling slightly when Tomoyo spun around, surprised. He couldn't blame her; he was surprised at himself.

"A mother's love is so whole, so pure, that no-one can imagine it…not even the mother. A mother is the one who hates to see us cry and loves to see us laugh. When we're sick, she wishes she could take away our sickness, and suffer herself. Mother cannot stop loving her daughter – or son – even if they say they don't love her. Mother cannot be explained, visualised, drawn, or recaptured, because a mother is irreplaceable and inconceivable." By now he had reached the stage. In one fluid motion, he jumped on top and sat down next to Tomoyo. "We don't have a mother, do we? But…we have a otou-san, a father, and he does just fine."

Tomoyo threw herself at him, burrowing into his hug. From somewhere in the audience, there was a faint but distinguishable assertion,

"That's number one."

~*~

Tomoyo skipped down the aptly named Rose Lane, mere steps ahead of Eriol, Nakuru, and Spinel. This was perfect weather: warm but never humid. Stopping mid-road, she searched for the first rose buds of the summer and let them catch up to her.

"Nakuru?"

"Yes, Tomoyo-chan?" Nakuru hid a smile, knowing what was coming next.

"May I have mother's letter?"

"What day is today?"

"May 30th."

"What day is your birthday?"

"June 1st."

"Then?"

Tomoyo pouted, but gave up. Nine years of getting letters from Nakuru (well, more like the three years she could remember) had taught her that no amount of wheedling, taunting, threatening, mauling, or other torture-esque activities could get her letter even a second earlier. Reaching the house, she pressed her thumb to the tiny sensitive pad and walked in.

Eriol watched her run upstairs. Nakuru came up behind him, closing the door behind her. "That's the strangest little person I know. She's 8 going on 30 _and_ 9. At the same time."

"She's my darling. But yes, she does have an uncanny knack for mothering people from her stance below my waist." He chuckled, picking out a basketball from a metal stand. Pressing a button on the wall revealed a basket and markings on the floor. Removing his jacket, he began to take shots.

Nakuru watched him play. "Had a nice day at work today?"

"Yes, actually. Managed to get in touch with Shan in the Tokyo branch. She said that the message was actually false. There was no trouble with the porters, thank god. At this rate, exports and imports could double in about twenty, twenty-five years. Yes, Nakuru, that is very good." _Swish._

"Never pegged you for the commercial shipping business, Eriol-sama."

"Things change, Spinel." _Neat shot_.

"Some things don't. Suppi still refuses to eat any of my biscuits." Nakuru pouted, then smiled.

"Nakuru, why haven't you thought of making sugarless biscuits?" _Right through the middle_.

"What's the use in making sugarless biscuits? Why not eat crackers instead?"

"In case you haven't noticed, that's exactly what I do. The rate at which you forget things is remarkable."

"Oh, that reminds me." Nakuru vaulted over the short wall that enclosed the all-purpose court, surveying Eriol with an oddly critical eye. "The mother of that Matsu girl-women-thing called again. She asked if you were interested-"

Eriol stopped, the ball still in his hands. "What did you say?"

Nakuru sighed, fanning herself. "I said you weren't interested. Did I do the right thing?"

"Yes." He took another shot, watching with satisfaction as it went in.

"I did the right thing?"

"Mm."

"I did the _right_ thing?"

Eriol stopped again and put the ball away. "Nakuru. You did the right thing."

Nakuru jumped off the wall and sat on a bench, Spinel in her lap. "How could I have not done the right thing? Of course I did the right thing. Eriol, why did I do the right thing?"

Eriol sat down next to her. "Nakuru, you did the right thing. I'm not interested. Why do you want me to be?"

"Don't you…well, I do…find this family incomplete?" From the look on her face, Eriol could tell that she'd had this on her mind for a while. Glancing at Spinel, he registered (with the slightest of shocks) that the normally reserved guardian was also intent upon his answer.

Eriol stood up, acquiescing to double onslaught of looks from Spinel and Nakuru. "Why would it be incomplete? You two, Tomoyo, and me. Seems cosy to me."

"Eriol-sama, Tomoyo needs a mother figure. One better than ditzy here."

For once, Nakuru didn't take the jibe. "Spinel's right. Look at her, Eriol. She's a double-sided little bundle of stress. She takes on every single responsibility. Why don't you consider looking for someone else? You can learn to fall in love again."

Eriol waited a long moment before replying. "Nakuru, Spinel, as honoured as I am at your candid expression of your intentions, they're useless. Someone once told me that we live once, die once, marry once, and love – only once. Don't look at me that way, but try and see the truth in those words. I'm not finding anyone, and I've done everything there. If anything, I've over lived. Besides, Tomoyo is perfectly content. She even has something even I don't have…her mother's letters."

~*~

_Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. _

_ Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing. _

_ Eee. Eee. Eee. Eee. Eee. _

_ Briiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing. _

Beepbeeriiiingeebeepbriiiiingeebeepriiiiiiiiineebeebeepriiiiing-

Tomoyo slapped her hand on the nightstand, and immediately all the alarm clocks turned off. Feeling around for her glasses, she jammed them precariously on her face and automatically glowered at the numerous alarm clocks scattered across her room. Landing upon a pink Hello Kitty one, she stared at it as she started to wake up. _It's…middle…of the night…it's midnight…_

Tomoyo sprang out of her bed, yelling at her mirror, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TOMOYO!" Throwing on a warm robe and slippers, she slid down the banister to the family room. In the middle of the room was a gigantic pile of presents, all gaily wrapped. She dove into them, strewing them aside as she got to the very bottom where there was-

Her mother's letter.

She quickly took out the letter opener she had kept in her pocket and slit it open, admiring the pencilled landscape. Taking out the slightly fragranced paper, she opened it and began reading.

_Dear Tomoyo, _

_ Happy 9th Birthday! You're getting to be a big girl. You must look just like me- _

Tomoyo put the letter down, her happy mood evaporating slightly. "No, I look more like father." Shaking her head, she continued,

_-if you pardon my ego. But you must act like your father. Tell me, have you finished reading the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica? Just kidding, sweetheart. Make sure that your father doesn't try and trick you with his excessive acting. Does he still manage to arrive late everywhere? Old habits die hard. I'll bet he also plays some basketball-_

"'kaa-san, he plays every single day."

_-but get him to teach you too. Your father, for all his bookish knowledge, was very sportive. He might have played when he was your age; I don't know._

_Tomoyo...anything that I wanted to pass on to you has been written in letters past. Sitting here, I can already imagine you as the perfect little helper. Please try and be a little girl, okay? Your otou-san won't be able to help you there. One day, ask Spinel or Nakuru about his past. But…don't ask your father unless he's the one who has been teaching you magic. I don't know quite why, but it's a feeling…I digress. _

_Tomoyo, you're a big girl now and will be able to understand what I'm about to tell you. _

_But before I do, I'd like to tell you a story. _

_A story about me. _

_A story about your father. _

_And Tomoyo. _

~*TBC*~

**AN**: Yay! I wanted to get to that part. Really badly. Right now, I need to prepare for a kick-butt History test, but I did this instead. So REVIEW!

**AN**: 1/1/2004: Happy Western New Year's to everyone. Did some minor revisions. 

wicherwill ^_^


	3. Friends

_And Tomoyo._

What looked like a red and white blur shot across the campus of St. Xaviers College. It stopped to chat with a few scantily clad females, but on the whole it was in a hurry to get somewhere.

Upon reaching a gleaming white building with the words 'All-Purpose Indoor Courts' on it, the figure stopped. Throwing his bag over his shoulder, Hiiragizawa Eriol strolled nonchalantly through the door.

Inside, a black-haired figure was standing with her back to him, nimble fingers quickly tying a pair of top-class sneakers. Her hair was done up in a weird sort of bun that resembled an overlarge bagel. When she finished, she grabbed a ball from the bench and twirled around, neatly falling.

"You're late."

"Hiiragizawa Eriol is never late."

"You are late. You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago. This habit will build up, you know. Tell me you weren't chasing girls on the way here."

"I don't chase them, they chase me."

"Oh, really."

"Really."

Daidouji Tomoyo jumped up and walked closer to him, until they were face-to-face. "Oh, I know. Eriol is so cute. He's so handsome. I loooooove him." She punctuated each statement with a slight tap on his nose.

"You know it." 

"Put a cork in it. Want to play?" She threw the ball up and caught it cleanly on one finger. 

"What for? You'll just lose."

"Very funny, ha ha ha. You know I win every day."

"You wish. What's the use in playing you? You'll lose anyhow."

"Oh, I get it. You're scared. Scared to lose to me."

"Hiiragizawa Eriol is never scared."

"Hiiragizawa Eriol is never anything. Come on, let's play." She threw the ball up again, startling him – never mind that she had done that trick every day since the beginning of college, 3 ½ years ago. 

Tomoyo jumped up and snapped the ball away, making a fast break and scoring one before he even realised that the ball was in play. 

"Nyah nyah…what're you gonna say now, boy? Huh? Huh? Come on, show me your best!"

Eriol ran a hand through his head, frustrated. He grabbed the ball from her, thinking that he could just place a small-

"Hey! No magic junk!"

He scowled, but gritted his teeth. He could beat her, easy. Dribbling, he started to make his way to the other side, taunting and jeering all along, 

"Oh, oh what're you going to do now, huh? Shorty can't get the ball from me, can she? Little girly has troubles playing with the big boys…" biting his lip, he tried to get past her to the net, "so she's going to cry and go home to…her…mom…shit!" Eriol turned around when he realised that he was dribbling air. Behind him, as usual, Tomoyo was dribbling the ball away…and scoring…

Eriol took the ball a second time, willing it to please be nice to him. No effect, of course, as he lost it within half a minute. He recovered quickly, however, and was about to grab it when she decided to score so he kind of stuck his foot out and got the ball and he scored!

"Oh yeah, who's the man? Who can't even stay on her feet?" He made his way towards her, offering a hand. She swatted it away, bouncing back up.

"That hurt!" Tomoyo rubbed at her elbows, whining.

"Oh, look, she cries like a girl."

Tomoyo turned around, eyeing Eriol. "Hey! Don't call me a girl. In any case, if you can't play, at least don't cheat."

"Don't call me a cheater."

"That's what you are. Cheater, cheater, Eriol is a cheater."

"Hey, don't call me a cheater!"

"Cheater!"

The two of them glared at each other, and then ran off in opposite directions. However, within seconds they both ran back to the centre of the court, staring at each other nose-to-nose.

"Shut up!"

And they ran off again.

~*~

"Hello, and you're listening to 1880 AM, St. Xavier's official radio station hosted by me, Chris Bloom! It's a glorious Tuesday morning, on January 3rd. As for the news, Tomoyo and Eriol have had their morning spat. This news, for those few people who haven't gotten the picture, means that Tomoyo and Eriol have fought every single day, except for the day Tomoyo was sick. Oh, I have an e-mail that tells me they fought that day too. Never mind then! Coming up after a musical break, the results of the Scottsburg murder case and other-"

Eriol stormed into his apartment, upsetting a few piles of laundry in his rush to turn off the radio. He turned back around and started throwing them back into their piles, muttering all along. "Irritating – aggravating – infuriating – exasperating-"

A voice drifted out from the curtained bed in the next room. "Eriol-sama, again?"

"Spinel, please don't start." Eriol watched as his guardian fluttered out of the study, dropping a few ancient scrolls on the sofa.

"Eriol-sama, you do this every single day. One would think that by now you two would stop wasting energy on things like this."

"She's an irritating person."

"Translation: Daidouji-san beat you again."

"Most definitely not. Now that I think about it, why do I continue to stay around her? All she does is ruin my reputation with the girls-"

"There's one of the reasons. I've known you for close to, what, thirty years by now, give or take? Daidouji-san, however, is the only one I've seen who succeeded in bringing out the side of you that hasn't been living for thirty years in this life and close to a million in your other. Eriol-sama, you've finally become a normal, hormonal teenage boy." What could be described as a very wry smile made its way across the guardian's face, and his eyes followed the to-and-fro pacing of Eriol, highly interested.

"So what?"

Spinel rolled his eyes and flew closer to his master's face. "She's your best friend, ne?"

~*~

Daidouji Tomoyo stomped into her apartment/large apartment/god damn mansion apartment, glaring at the phone as it rang almost directly on cue with her entrance.

"'Lo Sakura."

"Tomoyo, again?"

Tomoyo tried scowling into the phone. "What do you mean?"

"Tomoyo, you fought with Eriol again, didn't you?"

"How would you know?"

There was a muffled laugh-cough in the background before she replied, "Because every single day since you left for your Xaviers place, I've either gotten or made a call at exactly 4:53 am during which I eventually drag out the words Eriol, stupid, fight, stupid, basketball, stupid, girls, stupid. Oh, and stupid. It's okay, however, since it wakes me up."

"Hmph. He is stupid."

"Exactly."

"Sakura, why-"

"Do you really need a reason?"

"Hai."

"Tomoyo, he's your otomodachi, isn't he? Now go apologize."

"Hai, 'kaa-sama." Tomoyo put down the phone and grabbed her book bag, running out the door. Pretty soon, she was at the school building. Tomoyo ran through the hallways of the main building, skidding around through the classroom door just as the clock hand struck 10. However, it looked like the teacher still wasn't here, so she glanced around the stadium seats, looking for a seat. The only one left…was by…

"Eriol."

"Tomoyo."

The two of them stared at each other, unaware that the entire class had stopped to watch them. 

"Look-"

"I really-"

Silence fell again, and then they both said at the same time,

"I'm just sorry, okay?"

There was another pause, and then Tomoyo stuck her left hand out resolutely. Left-to-left, right-to-right, twitch of the noses…Tomoyo grabbed her friend in a giant bear hug just as the teacher walked through the door.

"Take your seats, class. Daidouji, Hiiragizawa, you too."

~*~

Tomoyo waved Eriol off to track practice, and then set a beeline course for a bench under one of the trees in the campus' Central Park. Hitting herself in the head, she pulled out and quickly finished knotted a somewhat-multicoloured bracelet, tucking it into one of her inner pockets after she finished. She then settled back to begin some schoolwork. Zooming through her Advanced French work and choral pieces, she grimaced when she pulled out a large textbook with the title 'Persuasive Writing and Presenting'. Gritting her teeth, she pulled out a blank notebook and began writing.

"When talking to a crowd that is not responsive, it is helpful to…uh…okay, we'll skip that one and ask Eriol for help. Next question. When talking to a crowd that is responding negatively, it is helpful to…I don't know! Why would I talk to a crowd? I'd get someone to talk for me. But I can't write that, so…" slashing through a blank numbered list, Tomoyo looked up and noticed that most of the people near her had moved back. Putting her books in her backpack, she noticed a grey clad figure walking by. Smiling widely, she ran after it.

"Matte! Amori-sensei! Happy Friendship day!"

The figure turned around, to reveal a youthful looking man in his mid-forties. "How many times do I have to tell you, Daidouji-san, not call me your teacher? I am your principal. Oh, and happy friendship day to you too."

"How many times have I asked you to call me Tomoyo? I am your friend. Here," Tomoyo deftly tied a bracelet in varying shades of grey on his hand, "this is a friendship bracelet. Now, besides being just your student, I am-"

"-also your friend. Daidouji-san, this is my fourth bracelet from you. However, I still re-accept your friendship."

Tomoyo smiled and put an arm around his shoulders. "So, Mr. Principal, what's up?"

"What's…_up_? The sky?"

"No, no. As in, what's going on in the interesting drama that is our principal's life?"

"Um…nothing much, nothing really."

"Oh, you can tell me. I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Even Eriol?"

"Um, well, if was really a huge secret I wouldn't."

"What's the harm then? Actually, I think you can help me out a bit. I have a daughter, you know. Her name is Mina."

"Mina. Seems like a nice name. What about her?"

"Well, when Ms. Amori died, I couldn't stay in Japan anymore. We used to live in the heart of Tokyo, living a grand life, and Mina went to school nearby, Chiba University. However, Mina insisted on staying to finish her education…but I told her this year that I missed her too much, and St. Xaviers is just as good as any school."

"Go Xaviers! So, how can I help?"

"Well, she's going to be a timid little girl from Japan, so if you could just…help her out a bit, that would be really great."

"Sensei, is that all?"

"Yes."

"Then of course! What sort of a friend would I be if I refused you?"

The principal leant in, speaking in a confidential tone. "Well, you could have tried to consider it for a while, delaying me on my way to what shall be a truly engaging staff meeting on the new profusion of short skirts on campus." The words surprised him, since he was normally a reserved man who didn't complain. Then again, he noted (while watching the heiress of Daidouji Co. giggle) that was her effect on most people. 

Tomoyo giggled in spite of herself. "Go on then. If it makes you feel any better, I have to attend what shall be a truly torturous speech class." She watched him jog off, then pulled out her design sketchpad and began to draw. Absorbed, time flew by until she heard a familiar name: 

"-right, I said Eriol. Eriol told me that I was the first person he tied a friend ship bracelet for!"

"Really? That's so awesome! Let me see!"

"Look, it even says 'Friends Forever' on it!"

Tomoyo rolled her eyes as the lot of them squealed. It wouldn't hurt to go early to class, if just to have a little _chat_ with her friend…

~*~

Tomoyo screeched to a halt in the music corridor upon seeing Eriol _engaged_ with some random girl whose name she couldn't quite remember.

"Oh, Eriol, are you telling the truth?"

"Yes, darling," Tomoyo snorted; Eriol couldn't remember her name and more than she could, "you're the first one I've ever tied a friendship bracelet for."

"Oh, Eriol. This is too good to be true."

"Well, it is…"

Tomoyo strode towards Eriol's back, reaching a hand into his back pocket and finding what she was looking for. A nice fat package of friendship bracelets from the nearby drugstore. She contemplated being nice for a split second then shook her head.

"Hey. Eriol." When they both turned around, she adopted her best innocent expression. "You dropped these." Folding his hand around them, she smiled.

"Oh my god. You…you…liar!" Random girl turned around and walked off in a huff as Eriol spluttered.

"Hey, wait…what's your name? Come on, don't…damn." Stuffing the bag back into one of his back pockets, he slumped against one of the columns.

Tomoyo slid down next to him, trying to hide her smile as he pouted and looked in the opposite direction. "Her name's Naima, by the way. I think."

"Oh, go away. Wasted my half-hour."

"Come one, that's one less brainless idiot. What gives? There're a hundred more to take her place. Notice that she took the bracelet with her. I'd have dumped it, stepped on it, maybe even spat on it. Consider it a waste of what, half a euro? A fourth?"

"She seemed nice."

"She seemed to like short skirts, you mean. What's the matter with you? Can't you even find one girl with brains and beauty?"

"Oh, stuff it. Here," he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a single band, tying it around her wrist "Happy Friendship day."

Tomoyo pretended to scrutinize it for a second. "Okay, it's good." She pulled out the one she had finished earlier and began to tie it around his.

"Wow…you actually managed to finish on time. How can you tell I didn't buy yours from a store?" 

"Because the stitches are sloppy, the design is illegible, and the colours wouldn't match even to a blind person." Tomoyo leant over and rested her head in his lap.

"Oh, gee, thanks."

"In any case, I know that you'll make mine anyhow. Going back to the brainless people that you generally hang out with."

"Do we need to go over my love life?"

"My day wouldn't be complete without it."

"One day, I'll find her. And then I'm going to come and parade her in front of your face."

Tomoyo sat up and spun around to face him. "Her? Who's her?"

"The perfect woman for me."

"And pray tell me, how will you know when you've found this her? Or are you looking for someone who, one day, foregoes a skirt for her underpants?"

Eriol didn't seem to be listening to her jibe, and stood up with a slightly dazed look on his face. "I'm looking for someone who makes it happen in my heart. And-"

"Wait, what's this something?"

Eriol stopped, looking at her seriously. "Something happen, Tomoyo," he stared at her for a second, and she stared back. Eventually, he shook his head almost wistfully and smiled, "Never mind, you wouldn't understand."

Tomoyo smiled softly. "No, continue."

Eriol sighed. "So I'm looking for someone who makes something happen in my heart. Someone who carries an aura of confidence, who makes me love her."

"And what will you do when you've found this imaginary friend of yours?"

Eriol smiled. "I'll spread out my arms, get down on one knee – nah, save that for the proposal. So, I'll spread out my arms, walk up to her, and say – oh, I love you-"

Tomoyo started when Eriol bumped into a short girl with black hair, who went flying backwards from the force. She stumbled a bit, her ankles wobbling on mile-high stilettos that were paired with an ultra-mini skirt. After she regained her footing, she smiled at him confusedly.

"Gomen? Uh, sorry?" her voice was quiet, and her speech was slightly stilted when she switched from Japanese to English. 

Eriol regained his senses and flashed her a smile. "Don't be, I love you."

The girl looked at him as if he was crazy, then walked off past him. Tomoyo watched her go, and then smacked herself on the head. "Matte, M-Mina!" Tomoyo caught up with her and opened her mouth to say something just as Eriol caught up.

"So, what's your name?"

"Mina. Listen Eriol, this is-"

"I wasn't talking to you. How do you – forget it. So, Mina? Can I call you that? Are you new around her?"

"Yes, she just came from Japan."

"Oh, Jap—how-do-you-know?"

"Eriol, just a while ago, the principal-"

"Oi, don't take that baldy's name first thing in the morning."

"Baldy?" 

Eriol nodded; glad to talk to the newcomer again. "Yes, we have this old grey-wearing grouch of a principal, and she's his fan. So, you just came from Japan, huh? Studied there? Where in Japan?"

"Tokyo, Chiba University. Eriol, listen, Amori-senpai-"

"Wow, Chiba- again? How do you know these things? And don't talk about that frump this early, I'll lose my appetite for dinner."

"A what?"

"Frump. One of my own words, just to describe that boring twit. Oh, speaking of the devil – hello Mr. Amori!" Eriol smiled at his principal as he made his way down the hall from the staff room.

"Just finished a meeting about short skirts, and look what I find! A short skirt!" 

Mina looked down and then bit her lip. "Look, I just got back from the airport-"

"No short skirts mean no short skirts!"

"-and I haven't had time to really unpack – are you even listening to me?"

"Spent valuable time talking about how short skirts aren't that much of a problem, and what do I see? A short skirt! And on who but-"

Eriol sighed, and then slung his arm around the principal's shoulders, steering him away from the two girls. "Listen, Mr. Amori,"

"What? At least boys don't wear short skirts."

"No, just listen. Mina, um…well, Mina just got back from Japan and hasn't had a chance to unpack her stuff. It was a very long flight, and she's really sorry, and-"

"How do you know this?"

Eriol stopped and ran a hand through his hair, aware that both Mina and Tomoyo had walked up. "Oh, you see sir, Mina and I have been friends since childhood. Went to the same school and everything." He winked, relaxing. 

"Really?"

Eriol nodded, smiling at Mina as she came to the other side of the principal. "Hai, 'tou-san."

"Hai, 'tou…'tou-san?"

Tomoyo butted in next to Eriol. "Hai, otou-san."

Amori nodded at the three of them. "Well then, I hope you'll all have fun. And remember, no more short skirts! Have fun, Mina dear."

Eriol watched his walk away, still nodding. The minute he was out of sight, he flung his head on Tomoyo's shoulder.

"Ano, Eriol, wasn't it?" Mina smiled as Eriol's head sprung up again. "He might be a baldy, a grouch, an irritating twit, and a f-fu-"

"Fun? Fabulous? Friendly?"

"-and a _frump_…but underneath, he's really a good guy."

"Yeah. Good guy. Yup." He shoved his hand into his pockets, struck by an idea. Pulling out a particularly fancy bracelet that had cost him a bit extra, he brought it in front of him. "Want to be friends?"

Mina smiled, her head tilting to one side – the left, he noticed. "We've just met. Friends is a far concept." She turned to Tomoyo, "Your name is Tomoyo, ne? 'Tou-san was telling me about you. I'll look forward to seeing you later." With a slight wave, she turned on one foot and walked off down the hall. Eriol finished nodding and threw his head back into Tomoyo's shoulder.

"I'm an idiot."

"Oh, we know that. So? Something happen? Is she your type?"

Eriol looked up and slung his arm around her shoulder, walking her down the hallway to class. "She seems like she'd be too tense and frightened if I told her I had magic, or if I introduced her to Spinel. Nah, she's not my type."

"Nah, she's not my type. Oh, you'll never find someone to marry."

Eriol smiled, squeezing her shoulder. "Oh, then I'll just marry you."

Tomoyo pulled a face and squirmed out of his grasp. "Me? Marry _you_? As if! AAH!" Screaming as he made to tackle her, she started to sprint down the hall, followed very closely by Eriol.

~*~ TBC

**AN**: Finished this a very long time ago, and have been editing since. Do know that Tomoyo seems OOC in this story. I do have a plot-bunny in the works to explain her. And Eriol. Stay tuned for that. Do review.

**Disclaimer**: All characters, logos, and affiliated characters represented here are fictional characters created by CLAMP, and are licensed to CLAMP, Nelvana, and all related parties. No characters, logos, or affiliated characters recognised here belong to me. 

(That said absolutely nothing in many words. I don't own any of this, kay?)


	4. Realisation

Eriol hummed to himself, then shook his head and erased and rewrote something. Shaking the paper off, he held it up. It glowed briefly, and then the sounds of a piano could be heard. After a few measures, a voice joined in. He sat back, his back resting against the tree he was currently perched in. It sounded good up until about the middle of the third page. As a matter of fact, it sounded good all the way through, but… The quality of the music couldn't solve his more pressing problem: he needed a set of experiences in the voice of the singer. Experiences he knew that his voice, Tomoyo, didn't have.

The piece he was working on was melancholy and sad. It had been a while since he had written something sad…it should be close to three and a half years. But this piece was sad, and the singer needed to convince the audience that she was heartbroken. Something Tomoyo couldn't do, not this many years after she had let go of Sakura, not after this many years of realising that she never really loved Sakura. He held no doubts that his voice-spirit-essence thing was correct, but he wanted to write this song with its heartbroken singer. Had it really been three and a half years since he left Kaho? Seemed like much less. And if Spinel was right (and he knew that he was), it was because of Tomoyo.

Very quickly (because if he became happy, this song wouldn't be drafted in time for his elective, Independent Music Theory), he remembered how he met Tomoyo. How he been stranded at the airport after seeing _her_ off to America. Him out of magic to transport himself home. And Tomoyo had been there too, accompanying Sakura and Syaoran as they left for Hong Kong, catching them on tape. It had been July the first when he had taken her offer to stay with her before returning to England. It had been September the first when he finally dragged himself to leave, and September the third when he had been commissioned by St. Xavier to meet a young lady at a private airstrip near Glasgow.  
They had been joined at the hip since. The best of friends. Otomodachis until the end. Eriol frowned slightly; he felt as if there was some sort of worm in him that had just wiggled. But he didn't-

The music stopped abruptly, and he sat up immediately, his mind working double-time. It should have continued playing, so that meant that someone had terminated his spell. Stuffing his paper into his coat pocket, he looked around cautiously. It couldn't have been Nakuru; she wasn't due to return from Australia until the beginning of February, and it was still January. And Spinel wouldn't play pranks like that. Then who…?

"SHIT!"

Eriol nearly fell out of his tree. Who on earth could that have been? It was way to early for anyone but him. He knew that voice too, but who…oh.

"Amori-san? What are you doing here?" Eriol jumped down and walked towards her, noting that she was trembling.

"Me? Oh, I wasn't doing anything."

"Well, you seem like something didn't work. Did you get some sort of splinter?" He motioned towards the branch she was holding, and she jumped.

"Oh, of course not. It's just this tree. It's…dying."

"Actually, it's not. It's really healthy."

"How would you know that?"

_Because I can see its life force._ "Did some tree stuff in school."

"Oh. Well, it was always healthy. It was, really."

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"No reason. Well, I'll see you at breakfast then."

Eriol watched her confusedly as she stood there, obviously uncomfortable but not moving an inch. "Is there some reason that you can't move?" he glanced around at the park, looking to see if the trees here were evil or something. He couldn't detect anything strange; the trees all had small seeds of power stored deep in their trunks. But then… "Wait, this tree is really, really, really healthy. It's…um…" _It's glowing as if you took it and dipped it into the centre of the sun._

"Look, I think you need to leave."

Eriol noted, suddenly, that she was paling rapidly while the tree was glowing brighter and brighter with every passing second. Something wasn't right here; as a matter of fact, something was very wrong.

With a strangled yell, Eriol felt himself (because he couldn't have actually consciously decided to interrupt a magical transfer of power uninvited. Oh, no) run towards the grip that Mina had on the tree, slapping it away. He felt her fall down, and he turned around to look for around for about three seconds before fainting dead away.

~*~

When he could feel it heating up a bit, it wasn't time to get up. Probably just Spinel turning on the heat, since he was a sun guardian.

When he could feel Spinel walk over him, he ignored it. His guardian had many ineffective ways of trying to wake him up.

When Spinel started to nibble his ear, he knew it was time to sit up. Looking to the side, he yelped as he came face-to-face with a squirrel that started yapping at him, and then scampered away. Shaking his head, he turned around and saw Mina trying to sit up not more than four metres away. It was obvious that she had dragged herself that far, and that she couldn't lift her body up for more than three seconds at a time.

"Look, Hiiragizawa, please don't ask me any questions."

_Magic_. "Magic."

"What? What do you mean, magic? There's no such thing as magic."

Eriol sat up with slight difficulty and fixed her with a penetrating stare. He'd make up for his humiliation. Adopting a voice that he knew he'd hate, he said, "Well, jeez, it sure seemed like something supernatural knocked me out, if you know what I mean."

"There's no such thing as magic."

"Aw, it's a pity you say that. I believe that there is such a thing as magic…you know, earth magic and stuff." By the look on her face, he could tell that he had guessed correctly. "The life forces of trees, plants, grass, that stuff."

"I-there's no…can you keep a secret?"

"Of course. Why?"

"Because I…_promise_ you won't tell?"

Eriol raised one hand, realising his mistake as the loss of support caused him to topple over. "I promise I won't tell." 

"I-I have magic. I know it sounds weird, unbelievable, but I can do magic with trees and stuff and I'm not crazy please believe me?"

Eriol smirked and went back to his normal voice, tingeing it with a small bit of Clow Reed. "Tsk, tsk, Amori-san. Took me not even a half a minute to get that out of you. Do you know, if you asked the future head of the Li clan that question, it would take you nearly a month to wake up from your coma? What, why do you look so surprised?"

"But-what-I mean-"

"You're not the only one with magic around here." Winking, he opened his palm, displaying a small ball of light. Not too flashy, not too plain. He had to concentrate however, since she was still unconsciously trying to end all spells she encountered. "You must not have had much training. There weren't any boundaries on that spell. I'm guessing that it was sick and you were trying to heal it?"

"Yeah. Well, my 'kaa-san started to teach me, since I came into it pretty late, around 18. But then she died, and I couldn't keep myself away from that tree. It was so dead, and it made me itchy all over… I can't help it! It's so irritating, not being able to control my magic…"

"I-I could teach you for a bit, if you like. I have a guardian, and he can help too. Great teacher. And it'll be irritating if you keep fainting in the park." He smiled wryly to try and mask his nervousness.

"Really? That would be great! I mean…" she took a deep breath, staring at him intently, "look…I forgive you for whatever I said earlier. Oh, not just because I need your help, I've been planning this for a while…if I was in your place, I'd think 'tou-san was boring too. So, if it's not too much of an inconvenience, tutoring would be very helpful. Normally, I'd dance around the subject longer, but I desperately need some sort of control over this stuff." She scrambled to her feet, dusting herself off. "I have an early class, and I have to go, but I'll talk to you later. Thank you so much!"

Eriol watched her run off, and then jumped up, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. Glancing at the clock tower, he looked around, nodding slowly. _Looks like it's another day to be late._

~*~ 

Eriol raised his eyebrows as he walked into his class early and saw Mina, already settled and clearly bored. He smirked slightly, placing his books in front of her and leaning down. "For further reference, Speech Writing is a late morning class, not an early one. Tell me you haven't been sitting there for the last half an hour."

Mina smiled weakly. "Hole in one."

Eriol cringed when Tomoyo walked in a few minutes later, and stopped dead. "Mina, you're in my seat!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'll move…"

Eriol wanted to smack her. Albeit lightly.

"Nah, just kidding. You, move." She pushed some kid out of the desk to the right of Mina's desk, and plopped down just as the teacher walked in.

"Okay class, let's all get ready and settled in…well, so far we've covered persuasive speeches, engaging speeches, and covet speeches. Today, we are starting the unit on emotional speeches, where the speaker really feels what they're saying. And to begin with, I've picked…" she flipped over the binder she was holding, "Romeo and Juliet Modified: the eternal love story told in individual monologues. Oh, come on, what?" The last sentence had been said exasperatedly as groans greeted the sight of the large Shakespeare play. "It'll teach you about true love, to begin with. Mina, can you tell me what is love?"

Mina froze. "Ah…no ma'am, I don't know what love is."

"Really? Tomoyo! What are you doing? Answer the question."

Tomoyo felt her face heat up almost instantly and quickly dropped the rubber band she was holding. "Oh, the question, huh? Um…well…you see, I don't really-"

"Are you telling me that no-one here can give me a definition of what love is? Here, where I see people making out every few seconds? Eriol, do not give me that look. You tell me what love is."

Tomoyo snorted quietly as Eriol raised one eyebrow. No doubt he would brush off the teacher with some insolent remark that would get him in trouble for all of three minutes-

"Simple. Love is friendship."

Tomoyo froze, the pencil she had been playing with dropping to the desk with a small clink.

"If she isn't my friend, then I can't be in love with her. If I can't talk to her openly, if I can't confide my deepest fears to her, if I can't love her company, then she's not my friend and I can't love her. So, love is friendship." He smirked again, then leaned back, his head right under Mina's.

Tomoyo stared at the back of his head as the teacher continued to talk, something about a delightful concept and the unit on Romeo and Juliet. Eriol's words just seemed to go through her head over and over again.

_Love is friendship._

It was weird, because he said insightful things all the time (_love is friendship_), and this was normal stuff. He had said something about love (_is friendship_) the other day, something about something happening in his heart, but she couldn't remember that (_love is friendship_). The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. But then…if _love is friendship_, then where would that put Eriol in her life? Where did that put her?

"Oi! Wake up, the teacher's handing out parts up front. Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Tomoyo, for the first time, couldn't bring herself to look into Eriol's concerned eyes (_love was friendship, and his eyes were pretty, all shifty between purple and blue and azure, but she'd never noticed that before_) and just shook her head and shrugged, wishing for the first time in a long time that her hair was not in a bun so it could cover her face. She settled instead for staring at the opposite side, acutely aware that he was still staring at her. When the teacher called her name, she started, falling ungracefully out of her seat. And he caught her, and she looked into his eyes that were all shifty and pretty. Shaking her head again, she ran up to the front of the room and back with her script, grateful to be able to cover her flushed face.

The paper was still warm from the copy room, and on the top it said, _When is it Love?_

~*~

Eriol raised his hand in protest as Tomoyo dashed out of class and down the hall before he could even say anything. After he realised that she had gone and had been gone for a while now, he spun around, smacking straight into-

"Oh! My stuff!" Mina dropped to the ground, gathering her scattered papers before anyone could step on them.

"Here, let me help." He deftly stacked them all the right way (cheating a little, but what's a little magic for personal gain in the large picture?) and handed them to her, watching her face carefully.

"Ano, arigato."

"No problem."

"You're always doing things like this, you know. First the lessons, now this…there must be some way I can make it up at some point."

Eriol raised one eyebrow, his hand reaching into one of his trouser pockets. "Many a great magician have been destroyed by saying those words, but I'll be nice. Friends?" he dangled the bracelet from before in front of her face, smiling when she snatched it and attempted to tie it herself.

"Here, let me help you."

~*~

Tomoyo leant against the pillar in the girl's common room, resisting the urge to smack her head against it. _How_ had she run away? _Why_ had she run away? _Why_ did the three seconds she had missed spending with Eriol keep coming back to haunt her?

"I…am such an idiot. However, I…am so not in…I do not…He's just a…"

_Why _couldn't she say what she meant to say?

~*~

Mina lay on her back on her bed, shifting every three seconds as she tried to read her Lit book. So boring…so irritating…so much English…

"Hello there."

She let out a small scream and turned around, nearly passing out when she saw Eriol through her 2nd story window. Running to the windowsill, she hissed, "Eriol, this is my house! My father lives here!"

"Oh. Okay, which do you want? Chocolate or flowers or a teddy bear?"

"Um, I don-"

"Just kidding, didn't bring one."

"Eriol!"

"Brought all three!" he brought out a small package from behind his back, "Oh, it's cold."

"Of course it's cold, it's January. But…you're right, it is cold."

"Okay, I'll come in if you insist…no need to persist." He hoisted himself through the window despite her protests, jumping onto her bed. "Hey, not fair. Come see y bed, it's awful."

"Eriol, why are you here?"

"Oh, I've read that. That's the one where the girl's looking for her real parents and realises that her foster parents killed them, right?"

"Oh, thanks."

"No, really. See, right here, she confronts them and her foster mother breaks down-"

"Now why do I have to force my way through this?"

"Oh. Whoops, sorry. Actually, not really."

"You didn't answer my question. Why are you here?"

"Felt lonely. Passed your house. Decided to stop by."

"Oh." There was a pause, awkward only on Mina's side. "Eriol, I-"

"Mina, I really like you. Go out with me Friday?"

"I…" she closed her eyes, breathing for a few seconds to calm herself, "I'd love to."

Eriol smiled, noting that there were voices from downstairs coming up the stairs. "And it looks like I have to go…farewell, dearest Mina!" He disappeared with a small 'click', reappearing further down the road to the girl's dormitories. He glanced around for a second to make sure no-one was coming, then jumped up and down in joy, until he fell on top of someone.

"Eriol! Get up! You're too heavy!"

Eriol laughed and sat down beside Tomoyo. "Nah, you're just too light."

"What're you doing here?"

"Just coming to visit you." He smiled for a second, and then pointed to the sky. "Look, a shooting star! I swear I didn't create it…come on, let's make a wish." He leaned his head until it was touching Tomoyo's, using his hand to cover both their eyes. Running through possible ways to phrase Mina and marriage, he snorted. Who was he kidding? What he really wanted was the friendship of Tomoyo…he knew how corny he sounded, but he pushed that aside as he contemplated what he was trying to say.

When everything was over and done, Spinel made perfect sense. Tomoyo had given him a normal life, something that Clow had spent two lifetimes lusting after. And when he thought about his life after college, he could never shake the image of him waking up and seeing his friend Tomoyo every day…every single day…

_I wish that Tomoyo and I would always be_-

Tomoyo stood up, smiling widely. "Okay, I made my wish. Eriol, it's time to go to bed. Oyasumi!"

Eriol watched in confusion as she literally sprinted away in her overlarge shirt and baggy pants (both his, he realised). Seemed to be a recurring theme.

~*~

"Who can't play for their life? Who? Who?" Tomoyo caught the ball under the net and stopped, walking over to Eriol. "Come on. You're playing horribly. What's wrong?"

Eriol sat down on one of the bleachers, motioning for her to sit on the seat next to him. "I…I have a date with Mina tonight."

Tomoyo blinked, stunned, but quickly recovered. "You actually worked up the nerve to ask? When?"

"Day before yesterday. Wednesday."

Tomoyo said the first thing that came to her head. "Liar. You weren't coming to visit me, you were visiting her."

"No, I pass her house as I visit yours, so I just made an extra stop. Besides, that's not the point. I'm nervous. For the first time. What's wrong with me?"

Tomoyo swallowed before responding, noting that Eriol's face looked utterly bleached. "Oh, it's nothing. Eriol, you know the drill. You'll go out with her, dump her after a few weeks, then find someone else." Tomoyo looked over his head, her expression almost sad.

Eriol shook his head, more to himself than Tomoyo. "No…no, I don't think so. I don't know why, but Mina's different. She's sweet, and funny, is so refreshingly honestly it's crazy, and she has this zeal for learning and just life in general…Tomoyo, I-"

Tomoyo stood up, cutting Eriol off abruptly. "Oh, look at the time! Sakura said she'd call me today, and I have to go receive the call…you'll do fine, you'll do great. Stop worrying and don't you dare run a hand through your hair." She turned around, smiled once, and then slipped out the door, immediately breaking into a sprint that carried her all the way to her house. The caller ID box showed that Sakura had already tried calling, so she hit speed dial '2' and fell back onto her bed.

"Tomoyo? Is that you?"

"Hai…"

"Where were you?"

"Talking to Eriol. He was all nervous and stuff about his date. Boys. They're so immature and blind. How can they be so stupid at times?"

There was a sharp intake of breath from the other line, and when Sakura spoke, it was slowly and deliberately. "So you didn't fight today?"

"Nah, he wasn't paying much attention to his game. Why?"

"Tomoyo…you…kami-sama, it's happened."

"What? Sakura, are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. But you…Tomoyo, you and Eriol-"

"There's nothing between me and Eriol."

Sakura gave an odd half-laugh, half-cry from the other end. "Oh my god, Tomoyo, it's finally happened. You've fallen for Eriol! Under the circumstances, however, I think it's more that you realised that you fell for Eriol."

Tomoyo forced a laugh. "Sakura, don't you think that's a bit strong? I mean…I don't like him in that way. In any case, there's a special chorus practice. So I have to go for that. And I have class now. You're just mistaken. I mean, you're just being Sakura. Oh, have a nice time at your retreat. I'll miss your calls, but I expect a gift. I mean, you could probably pick _something_ during the month you'll be there…shoot, class. Okay, bye."

"Bye, Tomoyo, but I-"

Tomoyo lay back on her bed, breathing heavily. She had been babbling, she realised, but did that mean that Sakura was…? No, definitely not. She just had that fixation of setting everyone up. Yeah.

~*~

Come Monday, Tomoyo decided to visit Eriol's track meet. She decided that Sakura was mistaken, and that she was just friends with Eriol.

Once at the indoor track, she found a seat quickly. Not many people watching everyday track practices, she mused, scanning the crowd for Eriol.

"I-is this seat taken?"

Tomoyo raised one eyebrow at Mina, and then looked around the mostly empty gym. "Nah, go ahead." She glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, trying to mimic her self-confident stance. Legs crossed at both above the knee and at the ankles (um…), purse (her bookbag would have to do), and slight tilt of the neck (she had a feeling that her head was about to hit her shoulder). Failing miserably, she cast around for a topic.

"So, have a nice-"

"Tomoyo, I wanted-"

"Oh, you go first. Hey, Eriol! Don't trip!" she stuck her tongue out, grateful that she had found her friend and that the earlier moment of awkwardness had been just that – a moment.

"Tomoyo, I wanted to ask you about Eriol."

"Huh?"

"Tomoyo, I…you're his best friend, right?"

Tomoyo started to say something, but froze when she saw Mina's face. Words could not describe it; she was happy and sad, impulsive and restrained, optimistic and pessimistic all in one. Tomoyo paused, her words fading into nothingness. With great effort, she smiled, shaking her head. "Iie, Mina. Eriol is my best friend." Suddenly, she couldn't stand to be in the stuffy gym, so she excused herself and bolted for the door before Mina could say anything.

"But then…you love him, don't you?" Mina said softly, her voice barely heard above the pounding of the track team's feet.

~*~

Eriol wrapped his arms around Mina, leaning over her shoulder at the book she was reading.

"Foster parent's killed them, foster parents killed them…"

Mina laughed a little, swatting him on the head with her book. "Stop it, I have to read this. You're not helping."

Eriol stood up straight, pretending to be highly offended. He surveyed the school grounds lazily. It had snowed just a little last night, and everyone was decked out in dull winter clothes. The only thing that stood out was the wobbling, neon lamppost that was moving closer.

Eriol shook his head and pulled out a handkerchief to clean his glasses. Stupid things, he had gotten contacts a while ago but had forgotten to clean them. When he put them back on, the supposed lamppost had come into focus just a few metres away from the two of them. There was a pause as he, Mina, and the people sitting on the benches around them stared at Tomoyo, and she stared back, slightly shivering.

It wasn't a surprise. Tomoyo had worn a neon orange mini skirt with an oddly patterned spaghetti strap top. Her face looked oddly clown-like, with her red lips and orange eye shadow. Eriol remarked to himself, in the silence, that the outfit didn't look bad…it just looked horribly out of place on Tomoyo. And this was the genius behind the trendy TD?

Tomoyo smiled brightly, showing off a set of almost eerily white teeth. "Hi guys. So, how do I look?"

Eriol tried to smile and force his mouth to say something. He was interrupted when everyone around them burst into hysterical peals of laughter. Eriol tried for a few seconds to resist, but pretty soon he was clutching his stomach laughing. Mina hit him over the head a few more times, lightly, but even she was breaking out every now and then, though milder.

The smile on Tomoyo's face started to fade as people began to jeer at her. She glanced around quickly, blushing and cursing at the same time. She hated being the centre of attention, couldn't stand people laughing at her…now shivering and wishing that she hadn't taken Sakura's advice to 'be just a tad bit feminine', Tomoyo bit her lip and ran past Eriol to a picnic table.

She knew she couldn't sit down, so she settled for dumping her backpack on the table and attempting to wipe off the thick makeup with her hands.

"Ano…this might…there's a spot over there…" Mina appeared in her field of view, holding a light green cloth. "It's makeup remover, so it'll get everything off."

Tomoyo sniffed a bit and took it, wiping her face until she was sure it was bright red. She stuffed the wipe into her pocket, not caring about the stains. "I'm so stupid…here I was, thinking that I could be as beautiful as you…"

Mina shook her head vehemently. "Tomoyo, you are beautiful!"

Tomoyo tried to laugh, but it came out sounding bitter over the slight chatter of her teeth. "Yeah, right. Didn't you hear those people laughing?"

"Tomoyo, those people were all-"

"-idiots like me." Eriol walked to the other side of Tomoyo, wrapping her in his arms so that her head rested comfortably under his. "Tomoyo, you don't need all that makeup and skirt crap to look beautiful. Actually, you are the most beautiful, since you're special. You don't need to change anything about you, and you could still get anyone you want."

Tomoyo pulled away, looking up into his eyes. "Anyone?"

"Anyone."

"Anyone?"

Eriol shook his head, smiling, as he hugged her again. "Anyone. They'd just have to be blind."

Mina smiled as Tomoyo muttered something and weakly hit Eriol on the chest. Her smile faded a tiny bit when she tried to do something, only to realise that Tomoyo had all the support she needed.

"Who gave you that lipstick? It's awful!"

"Chiyo."

"Really? Well, I'll have to give her yet another beating then…oi, we need to get you somewhere, you're freezing. Here, take my jacket."

"But you'll get cold!"

"Nah, I can use some spells to keep me warm. Just too tiring to use on a daily basis, especially after dealing with you everyday."

"Hmph. Come, help me back. I can barely walk in these things. What the- Hey! Help! Put me down!"

Mina gathered her things quietly, watching as Eriol started sprinting to the girls' dormitories, Tomoyo slung over his shoulder. Shaking her head, smiling, she headed after them slowly towards her house.

~*~

"Love is strange…love is interesting…but above all…" Amori-san warbled, badly off tune, while playing the piano. Mina covered her ears.

"'tou-san!"

"Eriol!"

"'tou-san?"

"Of all people to fall in love with, did you have to pick Eriol?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Thought you could keep it a secret from your father, did you? Then again, I would have felt bad if it had been anyone else either. Because then I'd have to share your love with him."

"I don't thin-"

"I looove you Eriol."

"Something tells me t-"

"I want to marry you Eriol!"

"I have a feelin-"

"Have you told him yet?"

"That's what I'm trying to get to!" Mina smiled at the familiar technique of her father, one of the only people who could get her riled up. "It's just that…I think that Tomoyo and Eriol-"

Amori stopped playing the piano abruptly. "There is nothing between Tomoyo and Eriol. They're just friends."

Mina rested her head on her chin, pursing her lips. "Hai, hai. But I just _know_ that under their deep friendship lies an even deeper love."

Amori shook his head in time to the music. "The whole college knows that there's nothing between Tomoyo and Eriol. Tomoyo and Eriol have both said so themselves. They are nothing more than the best of friends. As a matter of fact, they're more like twins than friends. But other than that…Hiiragizawa Mina, there's nothing stopping you."

"'tou-san!"

~*~

"Oh, and the weathermen have been forecasting rain for about…a week now, telling us that there's a hundred percent chance for the rain we're not receiving…" Tomoyo trailed off, getting the distinct impression that Sakura was doing naught but waiting patiently for her to stop talking randomly. She was right.

"Tomoyo, it's been a month since I've spoken to you. As a matter of fact, it's Valentine's Day now."

"Hai, Sakura-sama."

"So?"

"So?"

"_So_?"

"What?"

"No, Tomoyo, you know what I mean! Have you told him?"

"Told…okay, okay! Well…no."

"Why not?"

"Because he likes someone else. He's actually been seeing Amori Mina for over a month now. Isn't that amazing? I'm so happy for him!"

"No, you're not. I don't care if he had been dating this Tina Mina whatever for a year, I'd still make you tell him."

"But why?"

Sakura took a deep breath before continuing, trying to let go of some of her steam. "Tomoyo, things like this shouldn't be kept as secret. Especially not to someone like Eriol, who has been your other half for the most important years of your life. Promise me you'll tell him? Hopefully today?"

Tomoyo pulled at her hair, which was in a loose form of her customary bun. It fell a little more, but she didn't pay attention. Finally, after firming her resolve, she promised, "Sakura, I am telling Eriol today."

"Good. Now go!"

Tomoyo nodded into the phone, before realising that Sakura couldn't see her. Placing it down gently, she checked the clock. Only a few minutes before she would be the late one. And she was supposed to be meeting him at the abandoned western commons, conveniently located on the other side of campus.

Tomoyo relished the feeling of the wind rushing at her face as she sprinted past empty dorms and the deserted commons. One of the great things about her elective, Independent Music Theory, was that she didn't have to arrive early, since Eriol would be late.

Today, however, Eriol was already waiting when she arrived at the small, enclosed park. He was apparently lost in thought, fiddling with a stray plant that kept changing from a cattail to multicoloured roses and back. Tomoyo suddenly became aware that her hair had come out of its bun, and that it was currently cascading in frizzy waves down her back.

Eriol noticed that she had arrived and jumped up as if electrocuted. He walked over to her briskly, his eyes clearly shocked by the amount of hair that her complicated, twisted updo had held for the past years.

Tomoyo took a deep breath. "Eriol, I-"

"-I love you."

Tomoyo felt her breath catch in her throat as time stopped. Eriol was still fiddling with the plant, now a blood red colour. "I really love you."

Tomoyo tried again to clear her throat. Tears had formed behind her eyes, and she tried half-heartedly to keep them from falling. And Eriol…Eriol was running a hand through his already messy hair, a sure sign of nervousness.

"Shit. I never expected to say this to anyone, but I love you."

Tomoyo took another deep breath and started, "Eriol, I-"

"I've been trying to tell her for a little bit now. I want to say it, but I never seem to be able to find the courage. Just three simple words…four, if you count her name…"

Eriol was still talking, but Tomoyo had tuned him out. Hesitantly, she asked, "Who's her?"

Eriol looked at her as if she were mad. "Mina, of course. Come on, let's try that again. I'm Eriol, and you're Mina, if I squint really hard…okay, no more fooling around." He stood up straight, holding the rose in front of Tomoyo for a second before throwing it away. Without fidgeting, he looked Tomoyo in the eye and said, "I love you."

Tomoyo knew that a few tears had fallen down her cheeks and didn't care. Softly, she heard herself say, "I…I love you too…"

"You really think she'll say that?"

Tomoyo bobbed her head up and down, still experiencing the odd sensation of being in a tank of water where everything was muted and silent.

"Oh, come here." Eriol enveloped her in a hug, and she let her head fall limply on his shoulder. He was telling her not to be so emotional, since it was scaring him, and then requesting that she stop trying to squeeze the life force out of him. He relaxed a bit as the promised rain started to fall, saying something softly into her ear that she didn't quite catch, but the meaning was clear. Tomoyo just hugged him tighter for a split second, blinking hard, and then forced her face into a smile as she pulled away.

"So I should tell her then?"

Tomoyo felt slightly dizzy from nodding so hard, but continued to do so anyway. Her inner self was telling her to actually say something, but Eriol was already on the way to leaving. He quickly shook both her hands at once, twitched her nose…

And then he was gone. Gone, racing through the still deserted commons to find the one he loved.

Tomoyo couldn't take it anymore. She sank to the muddy earth, her hair covering her face as she cried her heart out, letting the frosty rain wash away her tears and soak her to the bone.

~*~

"Sakura, I'm going back. 'kaa-san is sick with a bad flu, and Daidouji Co. needs me. I'm packed, I'm leaving today, and there's a train to our private airstrip in half an hour."

"You…what?" Sakura slumped onto the beanbag chair that Syaoran had insisted on placing there, the one that had irritated her to no end. Now it stuck at odd angles into her back, and she clutched an odd protrusion to steady her head.

"I'm going back. I'll transfer. There's some university, Chiba or something, I'll go there."

"Is that…?"

"Actually, it's the university that Mina transferred from. Isn't that great?"

"Tomoyo, you can't. I…I'm forbidding you."

"Who are you to forbid me?" Tomoyo's laugh was slightly bitter, signifying that her tone wasn't all joking. "Who are you, with your perfect life, to tell me that mine will work out?"

"Look, Tomoyo, I-" There was an abrupt click on the other end, and Sakura let out a hiss. She glanced at the calendar. Just a day ago, she had been edging on Tomoyo…and now? Was this her fault?

Picking up the phone, she dialled the number of the only person who could help now.

~*~ 

"Come on…Tomoyo, Tomoyo, Tomoyo, where are you? Mina, look at the end cars, I'll look up ahead." Eriol nodded to her before moving up ahead, shoving aside a few people and feeling not a bit sorry. If he squinted and moved his head like _so_, he could just see through the tinted windows of the train.

The train that was about to take his Tomoyo away to an airport. That would take her away to Japan.

Eriol shook his head and doubled his speed, staring at the never-ending sea of heads, looking for that one, black and white one with that odd bagel-shaped bun on the back…aha!

Tomoyo hurriedly wiped her eyes as the face she'd been daydreaming about materialised outside her window before running towards the cabin door. She dropped to the floor, picking up her hand baggage and attempting to stash it overhead.

Eriol shook his head, grabbing the bag from her easily. "You are positively mad."

"Eriol, please give me my bag."

"You get one letter, and wham! You're leaving."

"Eriol, 'kaa-san is sick, and the company needs me."

"Well, I need you too. Come on, let's go. I was worrying when you didn't turn up for our game." He started walking down the aisle towards the door. Tomoyo stumbled after him.

"Eriol, I need to go." Tomoyo ran into her bag as Eriol turned around abruptly.

"Stay until spring break."

"Look, I-"

"Stay until the end of the term."

"Eriol, listen-"

"At least take final exams."

"Eriol, I'm not coming back for exams!" Tomoyo flinched as her outburst caused Eriol to pause. "I'm not taking finals, Eriol…I'm leaving."

"You're leaving. You're leaving, and just now you're telling me." Eriol dropped her bag, seemingly disbelieving.

"Eriol, just hear-"

"Forget it." He walked down the steps, keeping his face forward.

"Eriol, please-"

"I don't want to know."

"Come on-"

"I don't care!"

Tomoyo stopped at the edge of the train, finally tearing her gaze off the back of Eriol and towards Mina. Mina, who was wearing the same thing that she had worn on that first day of school, when the whole mess had started. Tomoyo laughed, partially at herself, and glanced down at what she was wearing. Same thing from that same day. She marvelled at the difference between them. Mina, with her orange mini-skirt and orange tank, with her hair falling, stick-straight, just past her shoulders. And her, with her faded denim jeans, straight cut, with a generic purple shirt that supposedly made her eyes look lavender.

She pulled out a crumpled handkerchief, monogrammed with her initials. She dabbed at her eyes while pretending to blow her nose, looking just above Mina's head. A sudden, violent gust of wind caught her by surprise, and the handkerchief blew out of her hands, only to be caught, with one graceful move, by Mina. Tomoyo stared at her, willing her face to appear blank.

The train whistle blared, startling all three of them. Eriol tapped his foot a few times. The bustle in the station rose for a few moments before quieting down again, and the platform became deserted. The three of them didn't move, each thinking their own thoughts.

The second whistle blew, two in rapid succession. Eriol turned around slowly as the train began to pull out of the station. The disbelief was even more pronounced as he watched it move, as if he expected Tomoyo to jump out any second. Shaking his head, he swore before running after it.

Catching up to Tomoyo's car, he paced himself. "Tomoyo, please don't go. Who will I play basketball with?"

Tomoyo smiled through her tears for a second before scolding, "Go, you've bothered me enough. Go bother Mina."

"Tomoyo, I'll fall."

"Then fall!"

"Tomoyo…"

"You don't need me anymore. You have Mina now, stop chasing after those stupid girls."

"Hey!" Eriol stuck out a pointing finger, losing his pace just slightly.

"Hey!" Tomoyo pointed back, glad that at least one thing had remained constant.

Eriol fell back, aware that pretty soon he would fall flat on his face. "Tomoyo, I-I'll miss you!"

"I'll miss you too!"

Eriol smiled, sticking out his right hand, then his left. Moving further and further away, Tomoyo did the same. Conscious that tears were forming behind his eyes, he twitched his nose, smiling even wider when Tomoyo did the same.

And then she was gone. Gone, away to some airport where she would be off to someplace he couldn't find her.

And then, for some reason, he had the queerest sense of loss. As if half of him had just sped away with that god-forsaken train, and it had taken with it some sort of marvellous opportunity that he had always assumed would be there, right alongside this vacant, hollow half of himself he was left with.

Mina walked forward, still clutching the handkerchief. She felt her heart shattering into a million pieces at the look on Eriol's face. It was as if all the sadness from two lifetimes, two very long lifetimes, was present, at that moment, on one face belonging to a heartbroken man. Mina felt herself start to tear at the second expression on Eriol's face, one of utter, absolute confusion and bewilderment_.   
_   
_It was then I realised that perhaps, just perhaps, I had come between Eriol and Tomoyo. Maybe, I had come between two friends whose love was so strong, so deep, that not even they realised it._

_Tomoyo's silence told me everything. She did not call, she did not write, and the elusive Daidouji heiress became a sort of dream that Eriol insisted on keeping alive. _

_Your father is alone now, and won't say anything. But he _needs _love, someone to love. This someone is Tomoyo. This love is Tomoyo. _

_Find Tomoyo and fulfil her first love. Reunite Eriol with his first love. This is a mother's last bequest to you, her daughter. There is no doubt in my mind that I, Hiiragizawa Mina, was the destroyer of Tomoyo and Eriol. Think of this as an old woman's reflection. Can you fulfil it? No, you _must_ fulfil it. _

_Find and reunite Tomoyo and Eriol. _

_This is your mother's last dream. _

_Much love, _

_Hiiragizawa Mina _

~* TBC *~

**AN:** Actually finished eons ago, revisited on 03/02/04. Made some minor corrections to fit with my canon, and changed a few typos (wigging to wigg**l**ing). In case you didn't understand the beginning type part, what I was getting at was Eriol somehow bottled the essence of Tomoyo and used that to test his pieces. So, whatever Tomoyo can do, his essence can do. ^^  
Read and review!  
  
wicherwill ^_^


	5. Plans

"Bye, 'tou-san!" Tomoyo smiled brightly at her father, pushing him towards the door.

"What's the rush? I love you, Tomoyo-chiibi-"

"Yes, love you, bai!" Tomoyo closed the door behind her, pushing it with all her weight until she heard the latch click. Sighing, she rested for a moment before running through the house, screaming, "NAKURU-SAN!"

A number of thuds, pounds, and one large thump later, Nakuru looked up from her place at the foot of the stairs. "Chiibi, what is it? Are you okay?"

"Yes, Tomoyo-sama, are you alright?" Spinel flew in from the outdoor garden, coming to a halt right by Tomoyo's head.

"I'vefoundsomeoneforpapabutnowineedyourhelp!"

"Pardon, Tomoyo-sama?"

"Oh, Suppi, she said that she's found someone for Eriol-sama and she needs our help! Honestly, after all these years…ne, chiibi, could you explain yourself a little bit more?" Nakuru's tone was one that showed she was used to dealing with children, but there was a layer of bitter sarcasm on top. 

A hurried twenty minutes later, Nakuru and Spinel were both in the process of re-reading Mina's letter. Both held the papers with a sort of reverence; Mina-sama had been a very good person during Eriol-sama's post-college depression, and this was the first letter that Tomoyo had let anyone read. Nakuru was the first to finish, being more accepting that Spinel.

"So, this is the infamous post-Sakura Daidouji Tomoyo," Nakuru commented, taking out a picture that Tomoyo had missed in her haste to get to the letter. "She left just before my first visit to St. Xavier. She looks…so different."

"Humph, looks pretty much like Eriol described her, that once. I remember her, however…black hair, white skin, and a bagel on her head."

"Oh, that's her hair. Tomoyo, come here." Nakuru untied her ponytail, playing around with her hair while still glued to the picture. "Oh, that's really clever. One twist, and everything just folds into place…perfect!"

Tomoyo touched her head cautiously. When nothing happened, she pushed at the bun, finally giving up and trying to wrench it off her head, stopping when it still remained, as if super glued, to her head. "Why on earth would someone…oh, yes. Basketball."

Spinel smirked. "Finally, after all these years, someone else will believe me when I said that Tomoyo succeeded where even Madoushi failed. Nakuru, did you remember to call Amori-san?"

"Shit!"

"I'll take that as a no. The death ceremony preparations are already underway, I remembered. I've booked us a ride on the bullet train, since Eriol-sama still-"

"Never mind that." Nakuru smiled a bit too brightly. "Ne, Tomoyo-san, shall we practice our meditation?"

But the protégé of Eriol, for once, failed to get the hint. "Nakuru, why doesn't Papa use magic anymore? Why did he stop?"

Nakuru and Spinel looked at each other instinctively. After a brief pause, Spinel looked back at Tomoyo. "It was a two-stage process. See, Tomoyo-san, your father used to be the greatest magician in the world. Still would be one of the greatest, if he practiced. So he used to throw magic around as if it were air or water, as if it were something in excess. And it was. Eriol-sama would use spells to warm himself up on an almost daily basis rather than buy a new coat for the winter season. Nakuru and I don't blame him. But then, all of a sudden, at the end of college he stopped being so frivolous."

"No. Even before that. I came to visit mid-way through his last year at college. Even then, he refused to use little magic." Nakuru's voice was soft, nostalgic.

"Then…he stopped doing magic because Daidouji Tomoyo left?" Tomoyo's inquiring gaze was focused past her two guardians, towards the picture of her mother that was located in the foyer.

Spinel sighed. "That was the first step. And then…after Mina-san died…"

"He just stopped altogether." Nakuru smiled sadly. "You have no idea how it rips at Spinel and me. Magic is inherently a part of Eriol-sama."

"And each time that someone who was part of him left, more magic seemed to leave too." After a moment of dead silence, Spinel forced his face into the closest thing to a smile. "Tomoyo-san, isn't it time for school?"

~*~

Tomoyo screeched to a halt in the foyer, dumping her backpack and drinking a glass of milk in the same motion. Stuffing a few grapes in her mouth, she scampered to the living room and switched on the TV, just in time for-

"Welcome to Live It!, today's hit talk show! I'm your host, Preity Zinta, and, as usual, we'll be doing something new and special today! So, let's hear some noise~"

Tomoyo cheered along with the crowd as a pretty woman walked out on stage holding a neon microphone.

"Today, an e-mail viewer has sent us an idea for a game! She says that this game is excellent for bringing hidden feelings to the surface, and she swears that it introduced her to her boyfriend! So, we'll try it out today. It's pretty simple: I'll say a word, and you have to say the first word that comes to your mind. Okay, I'll use you." She pointed to a random person from the crowd. "Clouds…"

Tomoyo watched the man intently as he coloured fifteen shades of red.

"Nope, sorry, too much time! Okay, you. Clouds."

"Air."

"Okay, beautiful."

"You."

"Hey, thanks! Uh…heart."

"Love."

"Love?"

"Her!" The guy pulled another girl from behind him, turning so that he faced her. "Honey, I love you."

Tomoyo snorted. How cheesy. Live It! occasionally disappointed her. Interesting idea though…spontaneous…hidden feelings…

~*~

"Stupid game. Stupid Preity Zinta. Stupid Live It!"

Tomoyo pouted. "Don't call Preity stupid. Please, 'tou-san? Play with me?"

Eriol smiled before scooping up his daughter and giving her a piggy back ride. "Okay, how do I play?"

"I'll say a word, and you have to say the first word that comes to your mind." She winked at Nakuru and Spinel as they walked into the kitchen, then turned her attention back to her father. "Okay, ready, start! Clouds!"

Eriol didn't reply, as he was drinking a glass of water. "What on earth am I supposed to say for that? This is a stupid game."

"Come on, play, please? Just try."

"Okay…"

"Clouds!"

"Uh…white."

"Moon?"

"Nakuru."

"Beautiful?"

"Nature."

"Crazy?"

"You."

"Love?"

"Us."

"Tomoyo?"

"Daidouji." Eriol dropped her onto the sofa, turning away for a split second before realising what he had just said. "Ano…"

Tomoyo smiled widely, managing to look completely innocent. "Daidouji? Who is this Daidouji Tomoyo? She has a very nice name."

"Just someone. Not important."

"No, Eriol, who was she to you?" Nakuru poked her head through the doorway, Spinel hovering right above her.

Eriol sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Daidouji Tomoyo was my friend during college."

Spinel smirked. "Go on, Eriol-sama."

Eriol groaned good-naturedly. "Okay, so Daidouji Tomoyo was my best friend in college. Forget best friend…she was my other half. Tomoyo – the other one, mind you – was nothing like the rest of the college girls. While other girls dressed up, Tomoyo? Tomoyo…played basketball." He mimed shooting a basketball through the hoop, a quirky smile forming on his lips.

_A beautiful diamond heart pendant, with a platinum chain, on an alabaster neck… _

"Tomoyo wore clothes like me. I'm not kidding, she stole a few of my shirts."

_Navy blue satin flows elegantly to the floor, invisible stitches creating majestic ripples that stem from a carefully tapered embroidered bodice…_

"Tomoyo was…mad, to put it bluntly. Makeup, dressing up, looking 'beautiful'…just not her thing."

_A single hand outlines an eye perfectly with a thin line of onyx black eyeliner…_

Tomoyo sat on the bottom step, looking up at her father. "And where is she now?"

Eriol laughed softly, as if shaking himself out of a daze. "I don't know, little chiibi. I don't know."

~*~

Daidouji Tomoyo looked over herself, surrounded by full-length mirrors. A gorgeous, if she said so herself, a-line strapless gown with tiny navy blue roses on the right side of her waist – her own design and creation, of course. And the pendant…princess cut grade-AA diamonds, a catch if she had ever seen one. With a small sigh, she removed the clip keeping her hair up (and out of her way), and her hair tumbled down; stick straight, completing the picture. Daidouji Tomoyo had no cosmeticians, no fashion designers to help her. 

Sonomi Daidouji twirled in, feeling younger and younger with every second. "Tomoyo, you'd better hurry up. Kyoji is about to come, and you don't want to keep him waiting…"

Tomoyo looked up, fingering a diamond bracelet. "Tell him to wait. This bride will take a while."

Sonomi smiled even wider. "Oh, Tomoyo, it's absolutely brilliant that you fell in love with the heir to Tani Inc. The merger, by the way, is progressing much faster now that the official engagement is, well, just hours away. Tani Tomoyo…easy initials, I suppose-"

"I am not changing my name."

Sonomi paused, slightly uncertain how to continue. "Tomoyo, you know how traditional the elder Tanis are…"

"I don't quite care about what some elder of some family thinks. The world knows me as Daidouji Tomoyo, my line is known as TD, and I'm not changing that for some old men stuck in the 1800s." She paused for a moment, and then continued again, her voice now quiet. "Sorry. Just…got to me. However," she held up a hand so that her mother wouldn't interrupt, "I'm still not changing my name, or giving up my life." Shrugging, she walked out of her dressing room and into the grand ballroom.

Tomoyo smiled instinctively as the entire audience, complete with newspaper reporters (how the _hell_ had they gotten in?) started cheering. Willing herself not to blush or stutter, she made her way to the stand.

"Welcome, to my," she couldn't resist a pause, "engagement. Today also marks the successful completion of the mergers of Daidouji Co. and Tani Inc. As the head of Daidouji Co., I, Daidouji Tomoyo, thank you for being here. And look, the groom finally decides to put in an appearance!"

The crowd laughed good naturedly as Tani Kyoji strolled in, not in the least embarrassed. Tall and fair, with brown hair and light blue eyes, he looked as if he were better suited to living the night life than ruling one of the largest shipping companies in the world. He walked to the stand, smiled once, and then dropped to one knee.

"Tomoyo, love of my life, would you marry me?"

Tomoyo hesitated for a split second before responding. "Yes." It was ironic that this, _this_ was the fairy-tale engagement that she would tell her children and grandchildren.

Kyoji beamed, slipping the ring onto her hand before flashing a thumbs up sign to the crowd. He wrapped his arms around Tomoyo as the orchestra stuck up a tune, and the crowd parted. "We have the first dance, lovely."

Tomoyo had only a generic smile in response.

~*~

Eriol jumped off the train, moving forward and embracing his father-in-law, Amori-san. "Long time no see, old man."

"I trust that all of you are okay?"

Eriol nodded. "Tomoyo insisted on using the train's bathroom, so she should be here in a minute. Oh, here's…Nakuru, is she coming?"

Nakuru smiled quizzically, walking towards him and turning away at the last moment. Sharing a look of confusion with Amori, he turned back to the train

That had taken Tomoyo away…and there she was, jumping off the train in her jeans and purple shirt, with that weird bagel on the back of her head. She wasn't really leaving him, because she was walking towards him at this very moment…

Eriol shook his head and blinked a few times, until his Tomoyo, his chiibi came into focus, wearing the exact same thing that Tomoyo had worn that day, with the exact same hair. The bottom of his stomach dropped out, and if he let his imagination wander, he could just imagine that the Tomoyo walking towards him was-

"Eriol, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Eriol shook his head, placing an arm around his Tomoyo as she came up to him. "One way to put it…it's nothing. Come, let's go."

"Eriol! You arrived!" Li Sakura ran towards her long-time friend, hugging him enthusiastically. "And chiibi! Ano, I got your message…we have to talk." Her face became serious for a split second before she turned back to Eriol. "We say that we have to meet more often every time we do meet…I have so much to talk about! Ne, Eriol, did you see that article on the Tokyo porters?"

~*~

Back at the Amori house on campus, Sakura stared at Nakuru, Spinel, and Tomoyo in despair. "Look, I understand everything you've just told me, and I understand the letter, but I made a promise to Tomoyo that I wouldn't tell anyone where she was going. Believe me, I was the strongest advocate for the two of them…but Tomoyo's been there for me all my life, and I can't let her down."

Tomoyo looked at her deploringly. "Sakura-san, I'm Tomoyo too. Can't you tell us? Please?"

Sakura looked at all three of them helplessly. "It wouldn't make a difference. Tomoyo is getting engaged today. The wedding will be in a few weeks; you know how these corporation things are. If only you had come…"

Tomoyo walked backwards, shaking her head. "No. No, it can't happen. 'kaa-san said that they must fall in love. I won't let this happen!"

Sakura, Nakuru, and Spinel all raised their respective hands to shield their eyes from the blinding light that issued from the young girl. It died down as quickly as it came, and Tomoyo was left unconscious on the floor. Nakuru rushed over, frantically checking for a pulse. "What the _hell_ just happened?"

Sakura sighed. "That's the power of wishes. But sometimes, not even all the wishing in the world can help…"

~*~

Eriol jumped, upsetting his cup of tea. That was very strong, that…_thing_ that had just happened. He might not practice anymore, but he knew strong magic when he felt it.

The strangest thing was that he could have sworn it came from Tomoyo…

…and he didn't know which one…

~*~

"Tomoyo? Tomoyo, are you in there?"

Tomoyo jumped, muttered something in her phone, and let it drop back onto the receiver. "Hai, 'kaa-san. So? Did the astrologer set a date?"

Sonomi appeared at the door, downcast. "Apparently, your stars have a negative influence as of right now. As of the next couple of right nows. The wedding, according to him, can't take place until September. I can get another one, just to recheck-"

"Iie, it's okay."

Sonomi snuck a furtive glance at her daughter before sitting down her bed. "Tomoyo, if I ask you something, will you answer? Without dancing around the subject?"

"I can't promise, but I'll try."

"Tomoyo, do you love Kyoji? Are you marrying him because you love him? Because I know that he loves you dearly. I've just gotten this feeling lately…that maybe…"

Tomoyo sat down heavily in a pouf. "Kyoji is a lovely man, and he loves me a lot. I know that this marriage will be good for everyone, and I'll be treated well."

Sonomi didn't change the expression on her face, but her mind was already reeling. The barest bones of a catastrophe were being laid out, a catastrophe that she should have seen coming. "But-"

"But…'kaa-san, someone once told me that you live once, die once, get married once, and love? Only once. I've loved already. I don't think I'm ready to do it again. Just think of this," she twisted her ring, "as a sort of compromise."

Sonomi stood up. "Tomoyo, I never thought I'd see the day when my daughter made compromises. Not my independent, stubborn daughter. How could…I mean, did you…oh, this is a nightmare that's not really happening." _It's my fault. This is my fault. What the _hell_ happened? _

"I'm sorry."

Sonomi stopped pacing and glared at her daughter. "Sorry? Sorry? I should be sorry. This isn't my wedding. This isn't _my_ life. A life built on compromise lives in a house, not a home. From now, it's up to you. How on earth did this escape me? What sort of a mother am I?" _How could I convince myself that stellar acting was anymore than just that? Acting? _

Tomoyo sighed inwardly. "Look, I'm fine. As you said, it's my life. Besides, Kyoji _is_ a catch. And I need you to help me with the preparations for my leaving party, before I head to camp." Tomoyo led her mother to her closet, looking back just once at her mirror. _This is the Tomoyo that's marrying Kyoji. And…she's perfectly happy. _

Right?

~*~

"I still don't see how this is even remotely possible. Eriol doesn't practice magic. How on earth does his daughter get so powerful?" Sakura paced the floor, waiting for Tomoyo-soon-to-be-not-Tani to call her back, to fully explain why her wedding would be in September.

Nakuru glanced at her feet. "Well, you see, Tomoyo-san's power hasn't been fully repressed all this time. Actually, it's only repressed around Eriol…and you…"

Sakura glared half-heartedly at both guardians. "I'd chastise you normally, but now…well, let me just say that Kyoji – that's her fiancé – needs a lot of training to deal with Tomoyo. Daidouji, that is. Oh, phone!" Sakura practically dived for the phone on the first ring, jamming it against the side of her face. "Tomoyo?"

"Sakura, sorry for hanging up so suddenly. Mother had walked back in, and I thought the caterers were right behind her-"

"Forget that. So it's postponed?"

"Until September. Evidentially, my stars developed a strong 'negative' influence between the space of the engagement and the predicting. But Kyoji's parents and grandparents…well, I've ranted about them long enough."

"Very true," Sakura glanced at Nakuru and Spinel, both listening in on another phone, "and I don't need more explanations on how they're a bunch of grumps stuck in the 1800s."

"Sakura, they're expecting me to change my—oh, hello Kyoji. One second, Sakura, I'll be back. Again." Sakura heard the phone jostle messily on the handset, and was about to hang up when Tomoyo's voice, faint but audible, came over the line.

"Kyoji, what is it?"

"So angry to see moi, your beloved fiancé?"

Tomoyo giggled before taking on a reprimanding tone. "Much beloved, I'm sure."

"Oh, I love you."

"Well, I don't love you."

Nakuru stared quizzically at Sakura, who waved her hand at her and motioned to continue listening.

"I'm hurt! Here I am, loving you with all my heart, and I get the gist that you don't even want to marry me."

"Right. I don't."

"Huh. Well, you know that I'll drag you by the hand to the altar."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Oh, I do dare you."

"Say, Tomoyo. It's not fair."

"Life isn't."

"They're delaying my wedding because of some bogus astrologers."

"You knew it would be a tight squeeze, what with your trip to Tokyo."

"No, don't talk to me about going places. I'm going to Tokyo for an overnight. _You're_ going to some _island_ for some stupid _camp _to teach rich _brats_ how to sing."

"Don't call my camp stupid. It's my life; those kids are my life. Besides, you _knew_ I was _going_."

There was a short laugh at the other end. "Look, your business associates are coming. Put the phone back properly and come, so that-"

Sakura placed the phone carefully on the stand, and then jumped up and down in joy. "Camp! The camp! You can go to camp!"

Nakuru watched her go up and down. "What?"

"Tomoyo runs an elite singing camp during the summer for talented singers. Young ones. Chiibi here would be perfect!"

"Wha…?" Tomoyo walked in, her hair mussed up from sleeping. "Someone say my name?"

"Tomoyo-san, we're going to singing camp to meet Tomoyo-san. Oh. That will be confusing once they marry each other." Nakuru giggled hysterically. Tomoyo joined her godmother in jumping up and down, suddenly wide-awake.

"But first we need 'tou-san's permission…"

~*~

"No."

Tomoyo followed her father throughout their house, trying her level best to convince her father by pulling out every single card she owned. "But I want to go! It's a singing camp, very prestigious. Besides, you know how much I love singing."

"I said no, and no means no."

"Oh, come on Eriol-sama. I'll be with her. And so will Spinel." Nakuru poked her head in from the kitchen.

Eriol stopped, taking a deep breath. It wasn't often that he lost his patience, but he was missing some crucial papers and he needed to find them _now_. "Neither you or you is going to some stupid singing camp in the middle of Nowhere, Japan."

Tomoyo gulped before pulling out her last resort. "Please papa? Please please please please please please please please-"

"Shut up!"

Tomoyo flinched as her father turned around. "But-"

"I said no! And I mean no! If I hear anything about this camp again, I'll…I'll…smack you." Eriol grimaced, turning a light shade of red. As if he could ever…shaking his head, he stormed out of the room.

Tomoyo sat back in a sofa, staring at her interlocked hands. Nakuru came in and sat beside her. "Hey, it's okay. Eriol-sama's pretty worked up now, he has to leave for Tokyo in less than half an hour."

Tomoyo shook her head. "As if, Nakuru-san. I'm just thinking which airline flies out of a different terminal than 'tou-san's plane."

Nakuru sweatdropped. "Ano, Tomoyo-san, if you're set on going, fine. But how will you get Eriol-sama to actually come to the camp?"

Tomoyo grinned wickedly. "Nakuru, do you remember the time papa was in Chicago, America and I got sick? That flu bug?"

Nakuru snorted. "A measly temperature of 38 and…" she paused, her smile growing, "and Eriol-sama cancelled all his appointments and flew back immediately!"

"We have to start packing…and we'll need admission tickets. Nakuru-san, you can book tickets for the plane and the camp. Spinel, you can make sure that she remembers. I'll start packing. If all goes well, we can be on a flight…day after tomorrow, which will give us enough time to check in." Tomoyo jumped off the sofa, bowing to both of them before taking off for the stairs. Passing a painting of her mother, she paused, glowing.

"You're a great person, 'kaa-san."

~*~

**AN**: Finished on  TIME \@ "dd MMMM yyyy" 11 February 2004 . Just made minor revisions from the original version, as usual.

In addition, I didn't update on my usual day. But I was visiting, so I didn't get a chance to. Rest assured that I did have it finished. 

So I haven't been putting a disclaimer recently…but, just for the record: I don't owe anything. CLAMP/Yash Raj Films/SONY owns most of it. Most of the concepts, too.

It's always weird when someone writes 'Read and Review!' at the bottom of the story. Well, I've already read…so you might as well just say review and get over it. So, I will. 

Review please! 

I'm hoping for 50 by the end of this story, and I'm really excited…since all the reviews I've gotten for all my stories before this put together is less than 50…

Ja!

wicherwill ^_^


	6. Meeting

Eriol walked through the crowd at the Annual Exporter's Conference, scanning the programme. Reed Enterprises was second in terms of bulk shipping, so his presentation was scheduled around 4:30, right after the presentation by his rival. He tilted his head up to properly take a sip of his wine, and at that very moment-

"Oh, hey, sorry." Eriol apologised as he bumped into a tall, brown haired man with striking light blue eyes. A drop of his rosé champagne landed on his chin, and he wiped it away with a handkerchief.

"It's okay. All my fault." The man smiled before walking the other way. Eriol continued on, folding the programme into his pocket and making a mental note to watch the presentation before his, since the company had announced that it would be replacing heads before its merger. Spotting one of his business associates, he walked over, eager to finish ironing out the details of his presentation.

Wrapped up in talking, he was surprised when the intercom system said his name.

"I repeat, would Hiiragizawa Eriol please come to the switch board desk, he has a call."

Eriol excused himself and walked over to the desk, where a man was already hunched over. He walked next to him, and then stumbled backwards as the man stood up suddenly.

"Sorry. Look, no drink." Eriol looked into the face of the same man he had bumped into earlier, smiled, and then turned to the receptionist. "I'm Hiiragizawa Eriol…may I know who's calling?"

The lady looked at him nervously. "Um…it was a little girl? Tomoyo." She glanced at her pad one more time and then pointed to a stall with a phone. "It's that one…"

Eriol bowed his head, wondering why she was looking so apprehensive. Strolling over to the phone, he said, "Hello darling!"

"…can you…me…?"

Eriol frowned; the static was pretty bad. "You're slightly fuzzy. Can you hear me?"

"…yes…go now…summer camp…"

Eriol turned into the booth. "I told you before! No summer camp!"

"…hell…going…"

"Tomoyo, watch your language! Where is Nakuru?"

"…who?"

"Tomoyo…" Eriol glanced at the lady before going back to the phone. "Look, I don't know what's gotten into you! When I get home, I'll…I'll really smack you!"

"…mad!"

"Tomoyo?" Eriol groaned as the dial tone sounded in sporadic bursts. "Tomoyo!"

"Tomoyo? Tomoyo, are you still there?"

Eriol looked up, confused, as the blue-eyed man spoke into what was obviously a disengaged phone a few metres away. Realisation dawning, he pointed the phone at the man. "Hey, talking to a Tomoyo?"

The man nodded, bringing the phone down from his ear. "Yeah, a Tomoyo. You too?"

Eriol put down the phone, moving to the middle of the two booths. "Lousy service. I'm going to complain. By the way, I'm Hiiragizawa Eriol." He held out his hand.

The other man took it, his grip light but firm. "I'm Tani Kyoji. Pleased to meet you. Sorry for bumping into you so many times."

"Nah, it's okay. Are you the Tani…?"

"Replacing the head? Yeah, that's me. I'm guessing you're the head of Reed? Let me tell you something," he leant in closer, "my presentation's a complete bore. To make up for spilling some of your champagne, let me advise you to skip it. Get the notes; I typed them up myself. Then again, you probably think I'm telling you that just to throw you off…"

Eriol watched, amused. He knew that Tani Kyoji had graduated in the same year he had, but his easy-going candour made him seem much younger. "You don't seem like the kind of person who could lie without turning red."

"Hole in one…say, I bet my Tomoyo is prettier than your Tomoyo."

Eriol grinned. "Well, I _know_ my Tomoyo outshines your Tomoyo."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Well, Tomoyo is my nine year old daughter…"

Kyoji snapped his fingers. "Can't argue with that…shit, look at the time. I have to go for my formal introduction. If you value your time, go to the buffet or something. Bye." He winked once and strolled off.

Eriol waved until he was out of sight, and then stood still for a second. True, the only reason he wanted to come to the entire conference was to check out the new head, something he had just finished much more productively in less than five minutes. True, the buffet at his hotel was supposed to be one of the best. Shrugging, he threw his programme into the nearest trash bin and went out through the revolving doors.

oOo

"A little more," Spinel said, hovering in front of Nakuru's face. "Maybe change the shape of your nose a little more?"

"At this rate I'm going to look so _weird_!"

Spinel resisted the urge to groan. "That is the point, you ridiculous being. For the hundredth time, we can't have Daidouji-san recognising you."

She scrunched up her face in exertion. When she opened her eyes, her nose had become—marginally—softer. "There, that's it. No more, right, Tomoyo-chan?"

Tomoyo shook her head violently. "Nakuru, 'tou-san has gone mad."

"Gone mad? He was already mad."

"No, really mad. First he asked me for a kiss, then he said I was gorgeous, then he said he would miss me terribly when I went to my stupid camp and then he asked if I would stop visiting the kids there once 'we' had kids of 'our' own."

"Weird…ask Suppi."

"Don't call me Suppi. Tomoyo-sama, did you still leave a note for your father?"

"Hai…I told the lady at the hotel, but he'll probably only come back after lunch, so I'll already be at camp."

"And then you'll…"

"Call him later tonight, while he's at the conference – I brought the schedule. I want to see Miss Tomoyo for myself first. And then I'll sneeze or cough on the answering machine. He'll be at the camp within a few seconds."

Nakuru and Spinel shared a Look as the youngest Hiiragizawa walked up to a waiting limo. Although neither of them said anything, it was enough. Both knew that crossing Tomoyo in the future would be a bad idea.

oOo

"Hello! Welcome to Canto, the elite singing camp founded by the legendary Daidouji Tomoyo! Daidouji-san actually gives her apologies, since a previous commitment meant that she just arrived. But she'll be speaking to all of you later…my name is Honda Seiji, and I'll be the camp manager. Now, as all of your enter, I'll be checking your weight." The middle-aged man stretched out a bit before bending to properly read the scale.

Tomoyo tried to stand on her tiptoes to see above the sea of heads. "What if Miss Tomoyo doesn't come? What if some other lady comes?"

Nakuru rolled her eyes. "Chiibi, 'Miss Tomoyo' will be here. I promise you. Hey, I wonder if I'm the only other adult here?"

A muffled voice came from inside her purse. "The term 'adult' implies a mature, responsible person over the age of 18 who works and earns a living. I believe that would exclude you on all counts."

"Oh, quite moping. It's not my fault that talking animals scare humans."

"The term 'animal' implies-"

"For the love of Kami-sama, Spinel. See? I even used your real name."

"Please, step lively…Hiiragizawa Tomoyo, just 23? That's really light…we'll have to see about fattening you up. Next please, name?"

"Akizuki Nakuru. Suppi, I swear, if you continue with your incessant-"

"Akizuki Nakuru, 9, very good, very good…wait, 9?"

Nakuru stumbled off the scale, laughing nervously. Damn the moon having 1/6 of earth's gravity but _hello_ hotness! "Oh…h-hello…"

The man looked at her. "Who are you?"

"I'm Nakuru…"

"Nakuru?" He flipped through his clipboard. "I don't have anyone here by that name…"

"I'm Tomoyo's guardian!"

The man – Seiji, was it? – smiled at her, revealing pearly white teeth. "I'm sorry, but we don't allow any parents or guardians at this camp."

"Oh, yes, I completely agree…ouch!" Nakuru smiled dreamily once more before making a show of looking into her purse. "What did you do that for?"

"Snap out of it! He's saying that you have to leave!"

"What?"

"I said, no guardians allowed."

Throwing her mind around, and noting that Tomoyo had run off into the camp, she leaned in close "You want to let me in, don't you? You think I'm gorgeous." She squeezed her purse in response to a poorly-disguised cough. "And, after all, you really could use the extra help."

Seiji looked at her for a second, his eyes going strangely out of focus. "I…please come…we _could_ use the extra help."

Nakuru smiled heartbreakingly one last time before running after Tomoyo, swinging her purse rather violently as she did.

oOo

Tomoyo wandered around the campgrounds, already lost. She had turned left at the large yellow tent, but there were two yellow tents to choose from when she tried to retrace her steps. Wandering aimlessly, she came upon a permanent settlement that was already swarming with kids. Moving towards them, she froze when a person clad in blue burst out, carrying a load of helium filled balloons.

"Come, come! Get them!" The lady smiled and laughed, hugging one kid and kissing another on top of his head, handing out balloons left and right as more and more children moved towards her. Her perfect ponytail was getting mussed up slightly, and her expensive blue skirt was getting dirty from sitting on the steps, but she didn't seem to care. Her supply of balloons seemed to be endless, but slowly, one by one, she handed them out until there was just one left. One last person came towards her, and the lady seemed to size her up, pursing her lips. Then, with a grand gesture, she handed the girl the last balloon and sent her off with a hug. Tomoyo stared at her for a second longer, and then moved towards her namesake.

"Oh…I'm so sorry, I'm out! I could have sworn I brought enough for everyone, but…well, I'll make it up to you. I haven't seen you before, actually. Are you new? What's your name?" Her lavender eyes were kind and gentle, and seemed to be soaking in the camp as if she'd never seen it.

"Tomoyo."

The eyes widened in surprise as a perfectly manicured hand extended for a handshake. "Hey, that's my name too! It's a good one, isn't it?"

Tomoyo nodded slowly, still staring at the older lady. Cautiously—it would be prudent to be careful, after all—she said, "Why were you named Tomoyo?"

The hand tucked a stray piece of hair behind one ear. "I don't know…maybe my parents liked the name? My great-grandfather? Why were you named Tomoyo?"

"Because my parents liked you." Tomoyo smiled once and then skipped off in the opposite direction, leaving Daidouji Tomoyo confused – a rare occurrence. She shook her head as she stood up, brushing off her skirt. When she looked up, a tall, red-haired woman was in front of her, breathing heavily but still staring. She looked so familiar…Tomoyo waved. "Hello…are you another counsellor?"

The lady said nothing, just walked up the stairs and hugged her before also skipping away in the same direction. Tomoyo looked at the sky, utterly flabbergasted. "Hey, you. Any more surprises and I think I might explode." The clouds continued to move, and Tomoyo laughed. Talking to God…what would that accomplish?

oOo

Tomoyo walked into her assigned cabin, wondering how on earth she had gotten let off so easily. She had forgotten a cell phone charger, so she had sought out that Seiji person--after curfew!--to use the phone, feigning a slight cough and asking to call her father. The man had absently patted her on the head and tried to open the door to the office, missing the keyhole twice. When she'd finally gotten in, he'd left her alone, merely asking her, in a dazed voice, to close the door after she was finished.

At the cabin, Tomoyo quietly changed into her pyjamas, so as to not wake up the other girls. Kneeling by the side of her bed, she clasped her hands. "Dear God, how are you? All good? Good. I don't have much to ask you, since most of it is already in motion. Thank you. Just make sure that the rest of it works out nicely, please? Oh, and make sure that papa doesn't go too mad. Let him get a bit of sleep tonight, okay? And make sure that he eats well tomorrow; you know how he gets when he doesn't have a good breakfast. Okay, good night." She bowed her head, then jumped when a soft voice said,

"Caught you after curfew."

Turning around, she let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, it's only you, Miss Tomoyo."

She laughed. "What's all this 'Miss Tomoyo' business? At home, only maids call me that."

"Well, I can't call you Tomoyo, everyone will get confused."

"Point taken…Hey, all those prayers for otou-san? What about okaa-san?"

Tomoyo sat back on her bed, taking a picture frame and holding the picture towards her heart. "Why ask anything for 'kaa-san? If she wants something, she can ask Him directly."

An expression of genuine sympathy crossed Tomoyo's face for a split second before she smiled gently. "Well, with that attitude I'm sure she's doing great. But it's time to go to bed now. God only grants requests when you are asleep, you know. Oyasumi." She tucked the little girl in and turned off the light, walking slowly back to her cabin. She checked the time and turned on the television, smiling as the theme song for Live It!, a popular talk show, came on. Pulling out some paper work, she groaned.

Hours later, she put aside the last sheaf of paper. More than half were full of angry red slash marks accompanied by her delicate handwriting that spelled out just why a particular clause was particularly stupid. _What, do they think I'm an idiot?_ Getting into bed, she lazily flipped through the meagre assortment of channels. A familiar pink-and-green logo flashed on the screen and she smiled.

"Welcome to Live It! I'm your host, Preity Zinta, and today we'll be doing something new and exciting. Today's theme is communication, and just for that we've brought in the author of the bestseller _Men are From Mars, Women are from Venus_, Dr. John Gray!" Applause sounded and Tomoyo grinned. That book was one of her favourite for some light reading. "But first, we have a special message from one of our sponsors, Reed Enterprises!"

Tomoyo put down the remote and tried to stretch her back as she waited for the advertisement to end. The name of the company was vaguely familiar—if she wasn't mistaken Reed was one of the direct competitors of Tani's company—

"Tomoyo, please come back."

Tomoyo felt her heart drop. There, on the screen, was the face that had haunted her for the past eleven years. _What_ had he just said?

"Tomoyo, I miss you so much. I can't live without you, why did you leave? Please come back. How could you just leave, without even a proper goodbye? I would have let you go, really…I love you so much, I…just please come back."

Tomoyo noticed that she had stood up, and she shook her head slowly. She pinched herself, once, and barely flinched when her nails drew blood. _Eriol_ was on the screen, and he was turning back to the host, who was asking him something.

"That's so sweet and sad! Who is Tomoyo?"

Eriol took the microphone hesitantly, still staring at the screen. "Tomoyo…Tomoyo is my nine-year old daughter. Hey, Preity, can you tell her to come back? She'll listen to you."

Tomoyo remembered to breath again and took a deep breath. _That means…that…Tomoyo…Eriol…_Mina_…kami-sama…_Tomoyo ran out the door, not even pausing to grab a robe. Stopping, breathing heavily at the side of Tomoyo's bed, she gently pried the frame from the girl's grip. Turning it around hesitantly, she collapsed on the floor. The frame landed gently beside her, the smiling picture of Hiiragizawa Mina staring at the sky.

oOo

Tomoyo ate her lunch carefully, acutely aware that Miss Tomoyo was watching her every move. She appeared to be making no effort to disguise her staring, and instead was listlessly poking at her sushi with her chopsticks. Tomoyo was completely clueless about why she was staring. There was no way that Nakuru or Spinel had told Miss Tomoyo their secret, and she certainly hadn't. She had fallen asleep with her mother's picture, and it had still been on her chest in the morning. But if Miss Tomoyo had figured it out…she wanted to rub her hands in glee.

She stood up with everyone else when it was time to clear off the plates and did so quickly, seeking out Miss Tomoyo from the crowd. "Miss Tomoyo! I want to talk to you, please."

Miss Tomoyo looked at her, her face innocently inquisitive. There was no hint of the fact that she had been staring for most the past hour. "Hai, Tomoyo-chan? Can I help you with something?"

Tomoyo knew that she needed something big in order to get any reaction from Miss Tomoyo. Miss Tomoyo's manner was almost identical to her father's, and years of experience had taught her that there were very few things that could break into a façade as strong as the one around Miss Tomoyo. "I…I'm feeling homesick."

"Oh…that's too bad. Give it a few days, you'll feel right at home. I used to be homesick all the time. Is there anything particular I could do?"

Tomoyo looked up. "I'd like to talk about my father with you, please."

Not even a flicker. "Do you want to go somewhere quiet?"

Tomoyo's heart sunk as the shell around Miss Tomoyo stayed intact. Her expression was light, and she appeared utterly unruffled. Then she hadn't figured it out. For some reason, Tomoyo felt like crying. She realised she was being stupid. Miss Tomoyo wasn't superwoman, and it was perfectly logical that she hadn't figured it out. But Tomoyo also knew that she wasn't disappointed in Miss Tomoyo's lack of intuitivism. _Something_ inside her was telling her that Miss Tomoyo knew, and her reaction made it seem as if Miss Tomoyo didn't care…utterly confused, Tomoyo shook her head and ran away.

Tomoyo watched the little girl her run away and made no move to stop her. She didn't know what she would have done if Tomoyo had talked about her father, how long she could have lasted. And she wasn't quite sure why it would have hurt. She knew the pang she felt when she looked at her was a mixture of longing for Eriol, guilt over Mina, and nostalgia over her college days.

But what scared her most was the largest pang she got when she looked at Hiiragizawa Tomoyo: the knowledge that maybe, just maybe, that could have been her child.

oOo

Eriol turned on the light in his hotel suite, loosening his tie and slapping the playback button on his answering machine as he started to take off his shoes. Luckily, Live It! was, one, sponsored by his company, and two, shot in Tokyo. Unluckily, he had gotten tied up at some emergency conference directly afterwards that had lasted until 2 in the morning. And then he had slept at the exhibition hall hotel, waking up at 6:30 for a day of engaging presentations, followed by formal lunch (he had turned up looking like a vagrant of some sort) and an investor's meeting. He'd just arrived at his room, twenty-four hours later, and wanted nothing more than to collapse.

The voice of his secretary from England filled the room. "Mr. Hiiragizawa, you have had one hundred thirteen phone calls and forty messages-"

"I've been gone for twenty-four hours, lady. If I get-"

"Message one. Hey Eriol, party at my house tonight. Can you make it?"

Eriol groaned and threw a complementary heated towel at the machine, waiting for something important.

"Message two. I've scheduled an appointment with the Australian branch for next week, along with the airline tickets for your entire family."

"Good lord, I don't care. That's what I pay you to do."

"Message three. "Hello, 'tou-san…a-choo!" Hacking coughs filled the room, and Eriol snapped up straight.

"Sick?"

"I'm feeling a little bit under the weather, 'tou-san, but I'm okay. Really. Camp's so much fun! I've met so many interesting people, and I've learnt so much about the proper way to sing. There's no need to-"

He pressed the 'stop' button on the answering machine, picking up the phone and dialling his secretary. "Hello? Yes, I need a plane to some island. No, I don't care about the conference. No, I don't know what island. Some camp's taking place there. It's called Canto. What? Bribe officials? We keep a plane on hand for things like this, so that , what, if China is transporting _confiscated nuclear warheads_ I can still get in the air…okay, put the confiscated nuclear warheads on another plane. And get someone to pack my stuff, I need to be out of here in less than an hour." Slamming the phone down, he pulled out a suitcase and began to throw things haphazardly into it, glancing at his watch nervously ever few seconds. He'd be there by this evening. He'd never forgive himself if something happened to Tomoyo…

_Don't think about it. Pack._

oOo

Tomoyo looked at the complete gathering of all the camp children. They were all waiting for _her_ to do something, to say something, to get them moving. Clenching her hands behind her back, she cleared her throat. _Damn, these are just your kids! You just gave a meeting to an entire board of investors…_

"Okay, now that we've all had a chance to unpack and get settled, it's time to start singing!" Tomoyo smiled, relaxing as everyone started cheering. "As you all know, you'll be sorted into different groups. But we also do a piece or two as a large group every evening after dinner. If you look under your chair, there should be a folder with some music in it. If you would take out the first piece, we'll just do prelim sight-reading."

"Please, sensei, sing it for us!" a small boy piped up from the front row. Within seconds all the other singers were clamouring for her to sing. Tomoyo bit her lip nervously, and then waved her hand for quiet.

"If you insist. I must say, however, that I'm not ready and I ate some ice cream for dinner and I have a slight cold…still want me to sing? Fine…" Tomoyo took a step back, still holding the baton. She glanced once at Seiji, at the piano, to make sure he was ready. Then, taking a deep breath, she began to sing.

Tomoyo sang with a half a mind, just immersing herself in the music. This piece had been originally written for a single, female singer, but she had written out parts for the entire chorus. A sad, melancholy piece, she'd hastily added the words from a French poem, but it was still unfinished, stopping somewhere around the third page. She had found it amongst her older things, but couldn't quite remember how she had come across it. But after a little bit of tweaking, it was perfect. Perfectly heartbreaking.

_Eriol..._

oOo

Eriol trudged along a mud path, dragging his expertly vacuum packed luggage along with him. First the car had run out of gas, then his cell phone battery had given out, followed by the failure of his emergency charger. Now, he was almost finished lugging his bag (his 'essentials', his daughter had coined them) the two kilometres to this camp Canto thing. He thanked his stars that he had remembered to pack walking shoes, because if he had been wearing his business shoes…he winced at the thought and sped up a little.

The clouds were extremely puffy, and he decided to take his mind off his endless trek. If he squinted and turned his head upside down (kind of), that cloud could be a rubber duck. If he shook his head round and round, then stared at that other one, it could be a cup. Or a basketball hoop. And the one next to it could be a basketball. If the wind was feeling particularly adept that day, the ball could go into the basket. And then he'd lose yet another time…

Eriol hit himself on the head. It was impossible for the cloud-ball to go into the cloud-basket. Come to think of it, it didn't even look like a basket. He was thinking too much again. After all, she wasn't coming back. _Why, after so many years, is she back in my head?_

He spotted a sign up ahead and tried to make it out, focusing all his energy into reading it. Besides a large spatter of mud, the sign clearly marked that he had finally made it. Rubbing his shoes on the welcome mat, he flung open the gates and broke out into an all-out sprint down the long walkway to the front of the camp. He came to a screeching halt when he noticed that the camp was missing something important.

"Where the hell is everybody?"

Walking more slowly now, he came to a stop when he heard a chorus of voices singing something vaguely familiar. He'd heard that before, but…running once again towards the large, central building, he swung open the door and stopped when he heard a single, beautiful voice. The words were in French, but the piece was expertly written, the words blending together to create an overwhelming sense of inconsolable grief. The singer and conductor – a woman – was in the front, wearing a skirt and blouse that fitted her shapely figure…but Eriol wasn't interested in that. He was scanning the crowd when a sudden gust blew the door shut with a bang. He jumped slightly, feeling the anger radiating from the conductor. Well, if she wanted to talk, they'd talk.

He walked into the room, forming a nice rebuttal for that irresponsible conductor who had let his girl come to a camp with his permission—

She turned around, hair floating, an annoyed remark on her lips; she hated stopped in the middle of a piece and it was probably one of those annoying temp counsellors—

He looked at her.

She looked at him.

He dropped his bag to the floor with a dull thud.

She dropped her baton onto her stand.

Eriol (not _his_ Tomoyo, but his Tomoyo, all pretty with open hair and dressed up all nicely) moved forward, a small noise sounding deep in his throat.

Tomoyo (Eriol was here, not on the TV but _here_, standing there, coming for her, silently saying her name) lips were moving but no sound coming out.

Eriol winced mentally, suddenly self-conscious of his sweaty, dishevelled, and muddy state but not letting that get in the way of getting to _Tomoyo _again.

Tomoyo's hand flew to her mouth and she shuffled her feet more towards the centre, feeling tears in her eyes that refused to fall.

Eriol nervously ran a hand through his hair, knowing it would just mess it up further.

Tomoyo tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous gesture of hers…but this was just Eriol. No, who was she kidding? This was _Eriol_; he was here.

Eriol reached Tomoyo.

Tomoyo reached Eriol.

Eriol stuck out his right hand as Tomoyo stuck out her left.

Tomoyo stuck out her right as Eriol switched to left.

Eriol put out an arm for a hug as Tomoyo reached out to twitch his nose.

Tomoyo lamely stuck her hand in the middle, stopping Eriol's attempt to touch her nose.

Both of them compromised, mashing four hands together in an awkward shake before slowly removing one hand apiece, and letting go reluctantly.

Eriol smiled and turned around as Tomoyo went back to the front of the room.

Both of them paused and turned back to each other, drinking in the mere presence of…the other.

Tomoyo tried to go out of the room as Eriol tried to move towards the front.

Both of them collided and rebounded quickly, apologising by moving their hands in weak gestures, goofy smiles still plastered to their faces.

By some invisible consensus, both of them moved to the front of the room, Tomoyo at the centre and Eriol off to the side, catching glances every now and then as their attempts to sneak glimpses coincided.

And Hiiragizawa Tomoyo sang her heart out, smiling widely to the sky above as stars began to appear in the night sky.

* * *

The piece of music: It's the one Eriol wrote in Chapter 3, as I'm sure you've realised…right? Right.

wicherwill


	7. Renewal

Tomoyo looked at the sky, mentally forming pictures of dragons and castles and bears. It was one of her favourite moments—she loved her children, but sometimes it was nice to be alone. Next to her, on her favourite stone bench, she could sense that someone had sat down, so she reluctantly dragged her gaze from the stars and looked straight into Eriol's eyes…

_...shifty, with purple and blue and..._

_Konbawa Eriol-san? Hiiragizawa-san? _"…konbawa," she finished lamely, not quite sure what to call him anymore. By the look on his face, he was thinking the same thing. But he smiled, his eyes shining with a special something.

"Are you feeling okay?"

Tomoyo looked at him quizzically. "Yes…why?"

Eriol smiled cockily, picking up the edge of her shawl. "Just…you're looking beautiful. Skirt, blouse…"

Tomoyo laughed, snatching back her shawl. "Hmm! Thank you. Oh…I heard about…Mina," she paused, mentally scripting what to say, "And I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Eriol smiled, only semi-bitterly. "That's okay. How could you have known? You left me, never called, never wrote…"

"Hey, I moved."

Eriol stared at her, his eyes locked with hers. "You changed houses, so you changed friends?" His gaze was sad now, and he looked down.

Tomoyo cast around for any topic that didn't involve her. "You never remarried?"

Eriol looked at her, grinning. "Couldn't find you, or would have married you."

Her face must have registered great shock, because he immediately looked away and muttered something about being sorry. When he looked at her again, his face was serious. "Come now…you live once, die once, marry once, and love-"

"Only once. I know; I'm sorry I asked. Actually, I always wanted to ask you," Tomoyo smiled as she brought up the past, "how you believed that if you're going to live and die twice, Mr. Clow Reed."

Eriol double glance told her that she had tread onto thin ice, and she winced inwardly. However, he didn't seem to care much, and simply said, "I don't practice magic anymore. Anyway, you married?"

Tomoyo shook her head, smiling wickedly. "Couldn't find you, or else would have married you." Once the words were out, however, she flushed a violent red as Eriol looked away. _Baka Tomoyo, you'll scare him away._ They sat in semi-comfortable silence until Eriol pointed to the sky and said suddenly,

"Oi, look! It's a whatchamacallit…it's a shooting star!"

Tomoyo looked at him with a bit of contempt until she realised to whom she was talking. "You still believe in them?"

Eriol flushed a bit and put down his hand. "N-no…you?"

"No…"

There was another pause as both of them turned away from each other, eyes closed, head bent, talking under their breath. Then they both coughed in sync and looked at each other, laughing nervously. Another pause, another bout of nervous laughter, and Tomoyo stood up, wrapping her shawl around her. "Okay, I have to go."

"Okay." Eriol watched her walk away, restraining himself. When she had taken a few steps, he burst out. "What did you wish for?"

Tomoyo spun around slowly, escaped strands of hair wrapping themselves around her neck. Eriol held his breath until she stopped, working hard to bring his mind back to earth.

Tomoyo laughed. "Oyasumi nasai."

"Oyasumi Tomoyo-san…Daidouji-san?" That felt so wrong. Eriol snuck one last glance at the sky before shaking his head and getting up, going in the opposite direction.

All was quiet for about half a minute, before the bushes behind the bench rustled, and a yellow-clad young girl walked out. Hiiragizawa Tomoyo hit herself on the head. "Oyasumi to both of you."

Shaking her head, she walked back through the bush to the campfire, sitting next to a black-clad, sunglasses-wearing woman with a cat on her shoulder. Nakuru continued to stare at the sky, so Spinel rolled his eyes and said,

"What news?"

"Bad news." Tomoyo stood up again, starting to pace. Nakuru joined her. "They're acting as if they just met, with a few exceptions. They can't even decide what to call each other! What to do, Nakuru, what to do?"

"The answer now lies in the stars…as destiny is written in the stars, so is all life on earth. The stars…are…your…lifeline…" Nakuru nearly tripped, causing Spinel to tumble off.

"Ignore her. It's the full moon. But honestly, what force on earth can erase ten years of lost time? What can you do, Tomoyo-san, to remind both of them of the one time they, apparently, wish to forget?"

Tomoyo sighed, watching Nakuru stumble around. She tripped over a rock, landing on a rack of sports equipment and scattering balls, sticks, and nets. Nakuru simply drifted away, so Tomoyo and Spinel rushed over to put it away.

Tomoyo carelessly threw the equipment into another box, still thinking.

"Tomoyo-san, please watch where you're throwing things."

"Huh?" Tomoyo looked down at her hands, which were carrying a large…a large _basketball_…

Tomoyo sprinted as fast as her heels and skirt would allow, making her way to the playground and that large mass of children, at the middle of which were two children fighting. Eriol, she noted, was making his way into the centre from the opposite side, and had his daughter off the ground within seconds. Tomoyo wrapped her arms around the other fighter, a slightly older boy, and tried to calm him down.

"Hey, don't fight…come on, don't fight…big boys don't fight, and she's a girl…"

"She hit me first!"

Eriol was attempting the same, while trying to restrain his suddenly hyper daughter. "Tomoyo, stop that. Is this what I've taught you? What on earth were you thinking?"

Tomoyo stopped resisting for a second and stared at her father. "I wanted to play, so I said that girls can play basketball, and he said no!"

"Boo! Girls can't play basketball!" The boy stuck out his tongue, and moved back as Tomoyo tried to punch him. Eriol picked her up again, looking at the boy. "Come on, he said the truth and you tried to hit him?"

Tomoyo stopped fighting, squirming out of her father's grip and looking at him with her hands on her hips. "That's not true. In college, Miss Tomoyo beat you every single day!"

Eriol smiled through clenched teeth at his daughter as the crowd of children started to laugh. "That's…that's not true." Tomoyo stopped trying to restrain the boy, looking up at him with…_disbelief_? etched all over her face. "Oi, Tomoyo, I only lost sometimes. Very few times. Almost never." The name flowed easily from his mouth, and he snuck a glance to see her reaction. To his surprise, she hadn't moved at all.

"Eriol, you never _won_."

"Oh ho, Tomoyo, it was _you_ who lost every day." The boys were nodded and cheering, the girls booing and looking at their mentor to see what she would do next.

"Come on, Eriol, you lost every single day."

"Tomoyo, don't lie in front of the kids."

Tomoyo moved the boy to the side and stood up in front of Eriol, looking at him best she could straight in the eye, using the Daidouji height to its advantage. "Me! A liar! Eriol, it's you who shouldn't lie! I won every single day!"

Eriol relished his calm as Tomoyo blew up at him. "Give it up, Tomoyo."

Tomoyo smirked. "In reality, children, Eriol-_sama_ here couldn't play; he simply cheated every day."

Eriol carefully put his daughter down before eyeing Tomoyo. "Tomoyo, don't call me a cheater."

"That's what you are. A cheater. Cheater, cheater, Eriol is a cheater." The girls around her giggled with joy, joining in on the chant.

"Tomoyo! Don't call me a cheater!"

Tomoyo made a large show of straightening her blouse, carefully re-tucking it before turning to Eriol.

"I challenge you. Right now, right here."

Eriol smirked. "Don't be silly, Tomoyo." He lightly moved her face to the left, his posse of boys cheering.

"Oh, scared? Eriol." She pushed his head to the side, perhaps a bit harder than she intended.

"Hiiragizawa Eriol is never scared."

"We will see."

"We will see."

Tomoyo spun around on one heel, in the way that made her hair fly. Followed by a storm of chanting girls, she made her way to the basketball court. Behind her, Eriol strolled in nonchalantly, leading the boys to the opposite side of the court.

Tomoyo walked to the centre of the court, kicking off her heels. "You'll lose again, Eriol." She raised an eyebrow as he remained confident.

"Good luck…I've spent years practicing. I will _not _lose."

Tomoyo snorted. "Heard it once, heard it a million times."

Eriol looked around and then leant in conspiratorially. Tomoyo followed, looking around confusedly. "What?"

"Be careful of your skirt." He moved back as Tomoyo started to sputter incoherently, and then threw the ball up with a smooth motion.

_Tweet!_ Nakuru's whistle sounded as Eriol caught the ball and began dribbling to the basket. "Oh, come on, you know you won't be able to make it…look who's good now…"

Tomoyo rolled her eyes, simply moving to the side of the basket she knew he favoured. And as predicted, he took off at the same spot, and she jumped up to block it, one hand unconsciously on her skirt, and…_missed_?

Tomoyo stumbled as she landed, mouth open, eyes wide. She wasn't that much out of shape. _What the...has he really been practicing...?_ For a split second, she harboured the idea that he might actually win…but a glance at her side, at all the athletic girls, and her resolve hardened. Okay, so he had two points. No biggie. It would be a 4-2 game, as usual.

Tomoyo snatched the ball away from Eriol, gratified when his face registered shock. _Ha. Ten years of dodging dinner guests has done miracles for my speed..._ Quickly moving towards the basket, she reached up to throw. Her blouse came out of her skirt line, and without thinking she moved the ball to the side to try and fix it. Eriol came up behind her and tapped the ball, motioning to himself. Tomoyo smiled gratefully and handed it to him, quickly fixing…_crap_.

"Oh, come on." Eriol shook his head and threw the ball over his head, backwards, strolling forward as it went in. Tomoyo stared at it, until Eriol walked past her, un-tucking her blouse…her head whipped around, but he was already at the centre again, dribbling the ball and waiting for her.

Tomoyo took out the elastic holding her hair back, walking calmly towards Eriol, who was now dribbling like a maniac towards the basket. As he jumped, she stuck out her foot so that he tripped, then continued walking off. _Cut my losses...and ha! Payback._

A voice sounded from near her feet. "If you can't play, at least don't cheat!"

Tomoyo spun around again, holding out one accusatory finger. "Hey, don't call _me_ a cheater."

Eriol sprung up from the floor, holding out his finger like a weapon. "That's what you are. A teacher. No, no, cheater! You are a cheater."

"Hey! Don't call me a cheater!" Tomoyo moved closer to him, her hair blowing over her face and getting stuck on her lipstick.

Eriol looked as if he was about to retaliate, but then simply touched fingers and bent over laughing. Tomoyo looked at him for a second, before realising that the boys were laughing…everyone was laughing at her, jeering, catcalling, saying, "Girls can't play basketball," and the girls were crestfallen, dragging their feet towards the breakfast hall. And Eriol was laughing at her, laughing against her…

Tomoyo felt tears in her eyes, and she wiped them away hastily, wincing when a nail cut into the sensitive skin under her eyes. Slipping her ridiculous heels on, she moved as fast as her constricting skirt could take her back to her cabin.

oOo

Tomoyo poked her head out of her cabin, noting that it was already the late afternoon. She had spent almost the whole day in her cabin, alternating between turning a burning red and beating up herself. She had let down all those girls, and she had humiliated herself in front of everyone. She would love to be able to hide in here for all eternity, but the need to apologise to the girls was too strong. That, and she wanted to ask _him_ about something he had mentioned…

Slipping out of her cabin with a package, Tomoyo made her way to the basketball courts, intent on punishing herself. She would watch, just for a bit, all those poor girls who would have to sit on the side. Then, she would apologise.

Turning the corner, she stayed in the shadows. Just as she suspected. Boys playing basketball. Boys playing with boys. Boy playing with boys who couldn't play, even though there were girls who could probably play better, given a chance to play something other than hopscotch. Boys needing a player, and overlooking other boys, trying to drag a reluctant girl into the game…

Tomoyo blinked, hard, but the scene stayed the same. Some boy, who needed another player on his team, was trying to force a girl to play. Tomoyo moved closer to hear what they were saying.

"Come on, play! We need a player, and you'll do fine."

"I've never played before in my life!"

"You play football really well. You'll be good at this."

"Ha! As if. 'Girls can't play basketball', that's what you said."

"Girls can play basketball, and they can beat boys. You know…" he leant in closer, his voice dropping a tad, "In college, Miss Tomoyo beat Mr. Eriol every single day without fail, 4-2. On top of that? Mr. Eriol's two points were actually gotten through…_cheating_."

The girl remained unconvinced. Tomoyo felt her chest tighten as she said spitefully, "Yeah, I'm sure. Who told you that? _Miss Tomoyo_?"

The boy shook his head, straightening up. On his face was an expression of fierce pride. "No…Mr. Eriol did…"

The girl thought about it for a microsecond, then nodded and took her place. Tomoyo turned around, in a daze, hardly noticing that watching her was,

"Eriol."

"Tomoyo." He smiled hesitantly, holding something behind his back. "Fancy seeing you here. They seem to be playing nicely, right?"

Tomoyo looked at him. "What…why…_how_…?"

Eriol laughed. "I just told a small group of boys…the truth, and told them not to tell anyone else. Simple, and within minutes the entire camp knew."

"But your reputation with those boys…"

"Is actually stronger. I'm now more 'cool'. Besides, it's the truth."

They looked at each other for a second. Instantaneously, they realized the ridiculousness of what they'd done. "We're two responsible, mature adults," Eriol started, "…and we're settling our problems via a game of basketball."

"Eriol…" Tomoyo smiled at him, and then flung her arms around him. "You have no idea how much I missed you, do you? I'm so sorry I left." _Understatement of the century?_

Eriol hugged her back, noting that her hair smelt of jasmines. "Hey, you think I didn't miss you?"

Tomoyo pulled away. "That reminds me…you said you've been practicing for ten years." She smiled to herself when he looked away. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Eriol looked at her, his expression ineffable. "I suppose…I wasn't as willing to let go of you as you were of me."

Tomoyo looked at him, her eyes suddenly harsh and piercing. "What makes you so sure that it was I who let go of you?"

Eriol looked at her as if seeing her for the first time all over again. For a second there, he had seen something that scared him and pleaded with him at the same time, and his heart had responded…but look again, and Tomoyo was back, just Tomoyo…but different, somehow. He shook his head a little, and then brought his package out from behind his back. "I…I got you something."

Tomoyo looked at him, questioning, but he merely motioned for her to open it. She shrugged, setting it down on a bleacher and splitting the tape with one nail. Opening the box, she took out…

"Trousers?" She looked at him, confused, as she pulled out some dress slacks and a few shirts.

Eriol looked away, suddenly embarrassed. "I…well, you see…I noticed…oh, never mind, it was a stupid thought. I just thought that maybe you were trying too hard to hide the Tomoyo I used to know? Using these clothes as a way to leave the past behind? And…well, I just thought that maybe you liked the past, maybe you would like to relive it. Wow, look, I'm babbling. I never babble. I'm Hiiragizawa Eriol…and Hiiragizawa Eriol never babbles."

Tomoyo let her head fall to one side. "Eriol, I…oh, this is so sweet! It's…it's…kawaii!" She squealed, surprising a number of people for a good three-kilometre radius. Eriol gave her a one armed hug, and she leant on his chest. "Oh, I have something for you. Here."

He opened it hesitantly, and then laughed, pulling out a number of overlarge shirts. "I…when did you take these? I mean, I thought I'd lost half this stuff."

Tomoyo giggled. "Random times when Spinel was out, you were out, and I wanted a shirt. To be fair, I did buy you replacements. Although you thought I was just being impulsive and buying presents."

Eriol put the shirts back in the box, getting up with her and walking away in sync, stopping just once to look at his friend. She stared at him, and he stared at her. Finally, he said, "You're back for real, aren't you?"

"If you aren't a dream anymore."

"Well, it looks like Daidouji 'Mad-One' Tomoyo is back."

Tomoyo punched him lightly. "Eriol, you haven't changed a bit."

"Neither have you, m'dear."

"I'm hungry. Take me to my cabin, so that I can change, and then we're eating." Tomoyo slung one arm around her friend, and they walked off.

oOo

High up in the bleachers, Tomoyo turned to Nakuru. "It worked! It really worked! For a second, I thought that it wouldn't, since they were fighting…"

Spinel popped out of Nakuru's purse. "No need to worry. Mina-san told you about the fights. For that pair, a fight simply means a chance to make up."

Tomoyo nodded in agreement, turning around again to catch a last glimpse of her father and Miss Tomoyo. Her father must have said something, because Miss Tomoyo was currently punching his arm, although it definitely couldn't hurt. Sighing, she hugged herself.

oOo

Tomoyo bounced up and down on the bleachers, eagerly looking for any sign of her father. It was a week after the 'Basketball Incident', as Spinel had coined it, and in that week it had been difficult to find Miss Tomoyo without her father close by, and vice versa. Nakuru was arguing with the camp manager, trying to sneak her way into the camp-wide photo. But Seiji was adamant in his refusal, his expression showing that he would like it if this hyperactive woman would just go away. Please.

She waved as her father strolled in, seemingly blasé. She giggled. It was so obvious (to her, at least) that he had just run from his cabin; his hair was slightly out of place, and his glasses were a teeny bit lower on his nose than he would generally like. From the noise of stifled laughter that came from Miss Tomoyo next to her, she could tell that she wasn't the only person who had noticed. That, and his shirt was buttoned up wrong. She wondered how long it would take him to notice.

Tomoyo smiled prettily for the 'normal' picture, and then cheered with everyone else for the crazy shot. Staying on the bleachers as everyone else swarmed down, she watched as Miss Tomoyo walked over to her father, pointing out the buttons on his shirt and then pushing him into a backspace to change. Tomoyo sighed (she seemed to be doing that a lot these days) and started to move down the bleachers, when the sound of her name startled her.

"Tomoyo, chiibi, wait, wait. I want a picture with you." Miss Tomoyo came running, her strides smooth and easy in a pair of grey slacks. She sat on the bleacher, pulling Tomoyo into her lap and resting her head on her shoulder. "Come, Seiji, take the picture quickly."

Out of the corner of her eye, Tomoyo could see Nakuru subtly waving her fingers towards the hapless man. He frowned, waving his light metre in front of the camera a few times. "I don't know…something doesn't seem right…aesthetically…imbalance…"

Tomoyo looked up as her father walked into the picture, sitting next to Miss Tomoyo and casually putting his arm around the both of them. "Is it okay now?"

Seiji looked as if he was about to say something, but Nakuru placed her hand on his arm, her face aglow. "It's perfect. Take it."

The manager smiled, clicking and reloading the camera. "Okay, now one with just the two of you."

Tomoyo moved out of the picture, watching with delight as Miss Tomoyo lit up like a red beacon. "It's okay, Seiji-san, I really have to go."

"Come, Tomoyo." Her father caught her hand as she made to go, and she looked back just as the camera flashed.

oOo

"And I caught her hand just as she was leaving, and she looked back and click! The camera guy takes the picture, blinds me. But hey, it's a beautiful picture."

Daidouji Sonomi looked over her reclining soon-to-be son-in-law's head. "Yes, Tomoyo does look nice in that one."

Kyoji faked a look of surprise. "Oh? Really? I didn't even notice."

Sonomi laughed, pausing in her quest to compile, on her own, an engagement album. "Kyoji, the wedding isn't until December. Why don't you go back to London, settle the business some more?"

The lean man flopped over onto his belly, staring up at the Daidouji matriarch. "No, I'm staying right here. I'm not moving until we…what's that phrase? Do the knot or something?"

"Tie the knot?"

"Yes, yes. I'm not moving until we tie the knot."

"But why?"

"Mother-in-law, it's taken your daughter so long to agree to this engagement. And…well, I don't think…it's not right of me to say this. Don't get me wrong; I love her a lot. But I get the feel that maybe…she doesn't love me back?"

Sonomi started going through the pictures again, concentrating on them and noticing only the differences in the looks of both Tomoyo and Kyoji.

"Hey. She doesn't love me, right?"

Sonomi started to get up, forcing a laugh. "Kyoji. You're mad. Don't be ridiculous."

Kyoji watched her leave, going back to the last picture of him catching his fiancée's hand. "She didn't answer."

oOo

"Okay, everyone listen up. Yes, you too, don't think I can't see you." Tomoyo glared at two boys who were fighting under the table, then smiled. "Okay, all your mothers have complained that you aren't writing to them. It's been over two and a half weeks, and yet none of you have written. So, today, every single one of you is going to write to your parents, in front of me, or you won't receive dinner." She smiled wickedly; the entire camp had gotten involved in a football game, and stomachs were already grumbling.

She stood up, grabbing a sheaf of colourful stationary she had ordered herself. The sheets were multi-hued, and a curved music staff was faintly visible in the background. She handed the sheets out, making a mental note to save some for herself. She held one up to try and catch the 'Canto' watermark, moving the bundle of paper to the next person in front of her. "Come on, you too, write to your mother."

There was a small, almost inaudible gasp, and Tomoyo brought the paper in front of her down, horrified. Young Tomoyo looked back at her, tears in her eyes, her lips moving as if she were about to say something but couldn't. She quickly put down the crayons she was holding, and then turned and fled the room.

Tomoyo passed the remaining papers to the person next to her, whoever that might be. She glanced around the room for a moment, smiling absently as some kid tugged on her sleeve to show her his paper. Getting up slowly, she made her way outside.

Tomoyo, poor little Tomoyo, was sitting on her bench with a picture frame hugged tight to her chest, tears falling slowly through mostly closed eyes. She appeared to be muttering something, but stopped when Tomoyo sat next to her, her death grip on the frame falling to her lap. Tomoyo took the frame, looking at the picture of the one person who had haunted her dreams for so long.

"Hey there, Mina. Remember me? I'm sitting next to your daughter," her throat caught, "Tomoyo, right now. If you were here, you'd be so proud of her. She's a little angel; kind, sweet, unselfish. You'd love her even more than you do now, because Tomoyo is a perfect little girl, and I'd be proud to call her my own. But do you know what's the best thing about her? She's…she's you, Mina. She's you, just smaller. She's you…" _coming back to haunt me_, but she didn't say that or think it forcefully, because her arms were around the splitting mental image of the one person she couldn't hate, no matter how hard she had tried. Tomoyo took Tomoyo in her lap, rocking her back and forth as her own tears fell.

Eriol, hidden in the shadows, turned back into a random tent, blinking hard to make sure that he wasn't crying. He walked out the other end, bumping into Nakuru. He opened his mouth to apologise, but she placed a finger over his mouth, whispering softly,

"I don't find this family incomplete anymore."

Eriol looked on helplessly as she disappeared into the shadows.

oOo

Tomoyo dried her eyes, looking at Miss Tomoyo. "I'm sorry that I ran off."

"It's okay. I'm sorry too, I didn't mean to tell you…well, you know."

Tomoyo smiled at her picture, then turned back, her eyes overly bright. "I know! I'll write to you!"

Miss Tomoyo looked sceptical. "Ano, chiibi-san, would that be the smartest choice?"

"Why not?" Tomoyo turned on her inherited 'innocent gaze'.

"Well, the letter is supposed to go to your mother…" She looked away.

Tomoyo smiled gleefully for a second, then turned innocent again and hopped off the bench. "Well, I'm going to write to you. Ja, Tomoyo-okaa-san."

Tomoyo raised her hand slowly, her fingers feeling as if they were made of lead. Shaking her head, she stood up and followed the trail back to the common tent.

oOo

Tomoyo cackled insanely, bouncing up and down in her seat. The infamous 'Game Night' was finally occurring. Numerous suggestions had been given to Mr. Seiji, but in the end, Spinel had sighed and given in to Nakuru and her pleadings, rigging the hat picking so that their suggestion was the final choice. And what a choice it was.

Tomoyo had come up with the idea while Nakuru had been depicting, with highly exaggerated motions, one of her father's more embarrassing attempts at flirting with Miss Tomoyo (although neither of them knew it…Tomoyo was highly doubtful if they'd get together before the next Ice Age). Acting…Charades! Dumb Charades! While they were at it, why not have Nakuru and Seiji against Miss Tomoyo and father? Nakuru had been ecstatic, and Spinel had been sarcastic. Tomoyo smiled happily, watching Tomoyo scream at Eriol.

"Baka! You guess when _I_ am up on stage. I don't care if you know the movie by heart, I don't care-"

"It's Nakuru, Tomoyo! My Nakuru!"

"That's nice. Thanks to you, we are _down_ by two points. We are _losing_. We managed to talk silently throughout speech classes for three whole years. Guess what? I do not lose. Shut up. You will now go up there and do whatever it is you do well, because _I will not lose_."

Eriol smiled nervously, showing a full set of over-white teeth. "Yes Tomoyo. I'm going, Tomoyo. I'll do well, Tomoyo." He looked back nervously a few times as he tripped up to the stage, bending down so that Tomoyo (on the other team. Of course) could whisper in his ear the title of a movie. His face twisted after she said it, and he shook his head, saying, "There's no movie that has that title."

"Yes, papa, there is."

"No, there isn't."

"Yes, there is!" Tomoyo stamped her foot, turning and walking away, leaving him sputtering incoherently on the stage. Psychotic Tomoyo from the audience glared at him, then winked. "Come now, you can do this! We need bonus points!"

Eriol stared at her for a second, noting that she looked very pretty in her dress. Trying to figure out how on earth to do this, he held up three fingers.

"Three…words! Three words." Tomoyo grinned, getting more into the mood of the game.

Eriol frowned, completely lost. He pointed at himself, drew a line with his finger, and then pointed at Tomoyo, who looked even more confused.

"What? Me to You? I something You?"

Eriol nodded desperately, holding up three fingers again.

"Yes, three words, I got that, but what else?"

Eriol sighed, running his three fingers through his hair. He could feel the stench of a plot—he was, after all, the father of The Plot. The timer passed the halfway mark, which meant that they had already lost, but it was suddenly very important that he manage to convey his 'movie title.' He turned to her, their eyes meeting as he gently placed his hand over his heart.

"I love you." Her voice was quiet, but somehow it carried over the yells of the other team.

Eriol stared at her, nodding slowly. "That's right…right. I-I love you."

Tomoyo looked at him, half-smiling. "Come on, you couldn't even say that?"

Eriol shook his head, as if seeing her in a new light. "No…no, I couldn't."

Tomoyo sighed as the other team continued cheering. "I wish you had…we could have won."

Eriol jerked his head up and down, her words going through his head. "We could have…won." He looked up, determined to say what had been on his mind while the rest of the camp was otherwise occupied.

"Oh, crap!" Tomoyo jumped out of her seat as the sky suddenly started deluging the outdoor auditorium with bucketfuls of rain. She started to herd the kids back to the cabins, pushing her hair out of her face and wondering why on earth she hadn't done the laundry yesterday.

Tomoyo looked back to make sure no one was left and groaned. Eriol was still on the stage, waltzing with some invisible partner and looking like an idiot. Grabbing Seiji's flimsy umbrella and muttering a hasty apology, she pulled her skirt up off the floor and made her way towards the stage, holding the umbrella over both of them when she got there. "Eriol, are you utterly mad?"

Eriol looked at her, and she involuntarily shivered. He opened his mouth, his eyes filled with something that she couldn't quite name, something that she didn't want and craved at the same time –

"Tomoyo, I…I'm bloody freezing."

Tomoyo felt like slapping him. "Well…come, let's—damn!" she snatched uselessly at thin air as the umbrella was carried away by a strong gust of wind. A hand wrapped itself around her arm, and she looked straight up into Eriol's face.

"Oh, come on, I know a place…" he started to move, dragging her along, then gave up and picked her up near her feet, hoisting her onto his shoulders as he set off at a brisk trot.

Tomoyo shrieked as she bounced along, clinging as best she could onto Eriol's back. She jumped off the minute the stopped, and looked around. "It's…it's the gazebo."

Eriol nodded, stretching backwards and trying to wring out his shirt. Tomoyo snorted, doing the same, and then flipped her head upside down, trying to dry out her hair. When she looked up, Eriol was on his knees -

"I'll get down on one knee – never mind, I'll save that for the proposal" - stretching out his arms - "I'll throw my arms out and go 'Hey! Whoever you are, I-'" Tomoyo put her hands over her ears, trying to get the voice to stop. She looked at Eriol confusedly. He curved his arms, miming dancing. Tomoyo smiled, pointing to her ears and then shaking her head, whispering, "No music." Eriol stood up, his eyes trained on her, and stared for a minute, as if thinking hard. Then, in one motion, he brought his hands together as if playing a piano. He closed his eyes and pretended to play his air-piano, fingers moving in familiar patterns despite the lack of an instrument. Tomoyo looked around, hugging herself, as music magically began to sound all around her, as clear as if someone was playing right behind her. She shrugged helplessly, moving forward and laying one hand on his shoulder while entwining the fingers of her other in his opposite hand.

He closed his eyes and shook his head, snaking one hand around her waist and pulling her closer, so that his head was right above hers. They had always been the perfect height for each other…

Tomoyo closed her eyes, swaying in time to the music. She opened them again when Eriol spun her out, and she involuntarily raised her arm, adding an extra twirl that she had never managed with other partners. She spun back in, her back to his chest, his arms crossed protectively in front of her. Her hair was in her face, and she reached up to brush it away when he twirled her around again, and then softly tucked it behind her ear. He cradled her cheek, and she let her head fall into his embrace, shivering at his touch.

They danced again, infinitely closer than Tomoyo had ever danced, but not once was it awkward. A few songs later – was it three? Four? To her, it had been forever, and she wished that it would never stop – Eriol stopped, moving closer to her and just looking at her. Tomoyo looked back, her knees almost giving out as his face moved closer to hers…she half-closed her eyes, her body knowing what was coming and desperate, _oh so desperate_…

Tomoyo pulled away and gasped. How could she be doing this? She was engaged…this was wrong…

_(but much more right at the same time)_

She looked at him weakly, wanting to say something but unable to. A million half-formed speeches, daydreamed for ten years, collapsed as she looked at Eriol's confused face, at Eriol's eyes, which were filled with disappointment… She shook her head, and with a single, fluid motion, she ran out of the gazebo.

He might have followed her; she didn't know, because her head was spinning as she dashed madly amongst the trees, the rain trickling in every so often and always landing on her head, pounding at her head, rendering her incapable of figuring out _what had just happened?_ She stopped, near the front gate, and clung onto a tree. Her mind was still reeling, but she was sure of a single thing. _Something _had happened –

_"Wait, what's this something?"_

_Eriol stopped, looking at her seriously. "Something happen, Tomoyo. Never mind, you wouldn't understand."_

—and there was no doubting it. A hand wrapped itself around her neck, and she leant back, letting herself fall limp. "I…I love you. I love you so much, more than you can ever know. And…I'm so sorry."

The hand whirled her around, and she looked into light blue eyes. "Hey, I love you too."

Tomoyo's eyes widened, her heartbeat racing, as she looked into the dripping face of her fiancé.

oOo

Nakuru lifted her charge up, noting that she had gained some weight while at this camp thing. Placing her on her shoulder, she moved so that Tomoyo could properly patch up the leak in the roof of the common room, where everyone had gathered.

"Nakuru, it's going marvellously!" Tomoyo giggled happily. "Nakuru, papa…father…and he ran off…"

Nakuru brought the girl down, nodding as tears of happiness fell and mingled with the rain. "Chiibi…I'm sorry to say that whatever happiness you derive from this is nothing in comparison to what Sup-Spinel and I feel. You don't understand…" her gaze was far off, and she looked mature for a moment as she gazed at some ethereal spirit in the distance, "Everything is right with the world. Eriol-sama used magic."

"Hey, any of you seen Tomoyo? Have any of you seen Tomoyo?" Eriol burst into the room, shaking his head much like a dog.

Nakuru giggled, back to her usual self. "Yes, silly, she's right here."

Eriol shook his head, impatient. "No, not her. The other Tomoyo – not that there's anything wrong with you, chiibi – but I need to-"

"Eriol?" A soft voice emerged from the door, and Tomoyo walked in, her steps light and graceful but her look calculated and cautious.

"Tomoyo." His earlier determination slightly diminished on seeing her, he said nervously, "Look, I-I wanted to talk to you. Alone, in private?"

"Eriol, I need to tell you something too. I'm sorry, I-"

"Whoa! That door is awful." A man burst through the door, hunched low, and then straightened up and surveyed his surroundings. "Do you call this pigsty an elite camp?"

Eriol looked confused, glancing at Tomoyo. He knew this guy…

"Hey, I know this guy. Guy, you are…you are…yeah! Hiiragizawa! Is this your Tomoyo?" He pointed near Eriol's waist, who looked down in surprise at his daughter.

"Yeah…that's my daughter. My…Tomoyo."

The man – Tani Kyoji, that was his name – sidled over to Tomoyo, wrapping his arms around her. "And this…this is my Tomoyo."

Eriol looked away, seemingly interested in a few kids trying to patch a hole. His hand found the back of his neck, and he smiled automatically, his eyes drifting from chiibi Tomoyo to Kyoji, currently holding his Tomoyo. His…? Not any more.

oOo

Eriol jumped up and slammed the ball into the basket, relishing the brief feeling of satisfaction. Then the overwhelming frustration set in again.

"Dude, you are too good, too good. What is it with company heads being overweight slobs?" Tani Kyoji strolled onto the court, already changed into casual designer clothing.

Eriol looked at the energetic man, feeling even more irritated. "I'm not that good. I used to be beaten on a regular basis."

"By who? Who would dare?"

"Tomoyo."

Kyoji looked incredulous. "Your Tomoyo?"

"No…yours." The words ate at him.

"Really? Tomoyo played? I really know nothing about her…tell me, what sort of girl was she in college?"

Eriol stopped dribbling, staring intently at him. "Tomoyo was the life and breath of my college. She was an excellent person, very energetic and optimistic. She was also my other half, my best friend."

Kyoji looked at him, his expression revealing something ineffable, but only for a second. "What kind of friend are you? You never came for our engagement."

Eriol began to reply, when Kyoji cut him off again.

"You have to come to the wedding. I need to unburden my problems onto you."

Eriol looked incredulous. "You. You have problems?"

"Of course. See, my problem is…I love Tomoyo too much, you know?" he glanced at Eriol, who was carefully facing the other direction, "And the thing is I'm afraid that she doesn't understand that, you know? I tell her I love her and she says that we just met. And I'm afraid she's going to leave, you know, because I can't convince her. You're her friend, aren't you? Has she…I mean, I don't want to spy…"

_And just like that, she was gone. Gone on the train and gone from his life and the only word that he could think was gone gone gone…_ " The words came unbidden. "We live once, die once, get married once, and love…only once. If you love her, that's it."

"Can't disagree with you more, then." The voice was light and easy, but Eriol could feel a drastic shift in the sentiment. "You only love once? Do you really believe that? You've only loved once?"

Eriol opened his mouth to say something—what, he wasn't certain. "Well, I…"

"Not a chance, man, not a chance. We're lucky to love once, maybe."

Eriol blinked once, twice. Kyoji was saying something about having to get going, and now he was leaving, and now Eriol was by himself in the middle of the night.

oOo

"Congratulations! And celebrations! We wish Miss Tomoyo a happy wedded life!"

Tomoyo's gaze darted around, slightly dizzy from the swirling mass of balloons and kids who were singing. They parted, running off with the balloons, and Eriol walked in, looking exceedingly smart in an expensive suit.

"Congratulations, la la la la whatever." Eriol looked at her, one hand searching for her left hand and her ring. "Come on, Tomoyo. You were engaged, and you didn't even tell me? Your fiancé had to tell me. You must be very happy."

Tomoyo looked away, refusing to answer. Eriol's hand under her chin forced her to look into his eyes. "Hey, Tomoyo. You are happy, aren't you?"

Tomoyo glared at him, replying with a question of her own. "After hearing this, are you happy?"

Eriol put up his hands. "Of course I'm happy for you!"

Tomoyo looked as if she might cry, but she stuck her face in Eriol's. "After hearing that, how can I be happy? Eriol, 'something' just happened. But you won't…you couldn't understand." She reached up, as if to twitch his nose, then brought her hand away and ran off.

Eriol watched her go, and then leant on a nearby fence. _Tomoyo…it's you who doesn't understand. Something didn't just happen…it happened a long time ago._

oOo

Nakuru sat down next to Tomoyo, watching as her long, slender fingers absently braided and re-braided segments of her hair. Tomoyo looked up as she sat down, then dipped her head slightly. "Oh…hello, Nakuru-san."

Nakuru bit the inside of her cheek. "Tomoyo-sama…he can't forget, and he can't inflict that on someone else, you see? Even someone he barely knows. He'd rather go back to convincing himself that he's _happy_," she spat out the word, "and that will be it."

There was nothing that Tomoyo liked more than speaking obliquely; it was a natural language for her. "And, what, you expect me to have the courage? I was the one who ran, remember? Do you expect me to be able to ride in and change everything?"

"Will you have the strength to go through with the consequences of staying silent?"

Tomoyo slowly got to her feet. A small, sarcastic smile broke out on her face. "Nakuru. Living contently is my speciality."

oOo

Tomoyo skipped along the dirt path to Mr. Tani-san's house, her mind full of awkward questions she could ask in her most innocent tone. She reached the door and pushed it open quietly, intent on surprising him. Instead, she was surprised when an angry voice broke through her thoughts.

"Look, I don't care if you think that I'm overreacting. I want to leave. Today. You're the one who decided to come here. I didn't ask you."

"Tomoyo, I…"

Tomoyo peeked in the room, and then drew back quickly. The expression on Miss Tomoyo's face was horrible. Her face was red, her hair a mess, and her eyes were stolid, but her tone of voice was heartbreaking as she took her fiancé's hands in hers and pleaded, "Please. Let's go. We don't have to have a large ceremony! I'll get the arrangements taken care of and we'll be married in a few days."

She pushed the swinging door out of her way before she even reached it, and ran back to her cabin. Her feet barely touched the ground, and obstacles seemed to simply move aside for her, but she didn't care. Reaching her bed, she dove into her luggage. Finding her mother's picture, she knelt by the side of her bed. Closing her eyes, she muttered, "I'm sorry," over and over again, tears falling one by one onto the base of the frame.

"Hey. Chiibi."

Tomoyo shook her head, refusing to turn around and face her father.

"Tomoyo-chan? Tomoyo-chan…I'm sorry. I'm sorry, please forgive me?"

Tomoyo put the picture down, still not turning around. "You feel bad?"

"Yes."

Taking a deep breath, she spun around, glaring at her father. "Good."

oOo

"Thank you, Seiji. You've been awesome, kind, and I couldn't have done this without you." Tomoyo wrapped her manager in a hug, and then letting him go and moving on to the next person. "Nakuru…I…" The elder woman wrapped her arms around her, squeezing the life force out of her for a span of a few seconds.

Tomoyo bowed slightly, and then bent down for the hardest good bye. "Tomoyo, be a good girl, okay? And…I'll always miss you." She gave the girl a hug, whispering in her ear, "And thank you."

Smiling and bowing to all of them at once, she turned away, making her way to the Kyoji and his car waiting right outside. Part of her longed to say goodbye to the most important person, but the other, stubborn half refused. If it was out of fear, Tomoyo did not know. _And I never will_.

"Tomoyo."

Tomoyo turned around slowly, knowing what she would find. Eriol was walking towards her. When he was right next to her, he took her hand in his and reached inside his coat pocket. Tomoyo stopped breathing for a second, resuming when he folded her fingers around a soft, white cloth. Unwrapping it quickly, she took her embroidered handkerchief and looked at him quizzically. "When did you…?"

Eriol looked at her. "You gave this to Mina when she was starting a new life. Now, you're starting a new life, and I'm handing it to you. Go, plan your wedding. I'm sure that you and Eriol will live happily ever after."

Tomoyo drew back, clutching the handkerchief tightly. "Kyoji."

Eriol bit his lip, silently cursing at himself. When he looked again, Tomoyo was already at the car. She looked back at him one last time, bringing her hand up and touching her nose. Eriol did the same, never letting his gaze drop

_And then she was gone. _

Eriol watched the empty parking space, the words echoing through his head. She's…_gone_.

And this time, it was for good.

oOo

TBC

wicherwill.


	8. Conclusion

Tomoyo stared out of the window on the way to the airport, trying her hardest to clear her mind. _Look at the cheerful tropics sign! Just like the time Eriol wore a hula skirt when I was sick_- she clapped her hands over her ears.

Eriol sat on a promontory overlooking the ocean, trying to meditate with the timing of the waves. _Breath in, breathe out. Let the ocean calm you. Breath in, breath out. Unlike the time when Tomoyo almost drowned—breath in, breathe out... _

Tomoyo watched the sunset, admiring the gorgeous hues and wondering if she could duplicate them on a dress. There was a particularly nice shade of orange next to a shade of pink. _Orange and pink...skirt and top...he said you could get any boy you wanted, as long as they were blind._ Tomoyo pulled down the window blind rather viciously. _You were blind...so you lied._

Eriol swore softly as a particularly old wooden rail gave him a slightly nasty cut. The particular blood-red shade. His old 'St. Xaviers' track jacket. _Wore it every morning as I went and lost willingly._ He looked around, and then _slammed_ healing energy at his finger. It healed instantaneously. _Didn't you get it? Why didn't you get it?_

Tomoyo brushed past the person holding open the door for her, holding back from sprinting up the staircase into her room. Someone said something to her, but she muttered something back in reply, not even pausing to say hello to her closest friend and bodyguard, Sata. The minute she was back in her room, her old room, she kicked off her slippers and burrowed under the heavy sheets.

Eriol excused himself from dinner, walking back to his cabin and bumping into numerous buildings along the way. He fell into a couch, toying with some of the unravelling strings. Someone came up to the door, and he waved his hand, sealing the door closed. The someone knocked a few times, and then left, and Eriol continued to glare at the door.

Tomoyo walked into her old theatre, collapsing in front of the projector.

Eriol walked into the basketball arena, falling heavily onto one of the bleachers.

Tomoyo sat back and turned the old machine on, illuminating the dark room with light. She looked at the screen from the floor, watching the old tapes disrupted by her shadow. On-screen Sakura and Li-kun walked away, and on-screen Eriol walked over, smiling at the camera and at her shadow, saying something but the sound was turned off…Tomoyo surrendered, letting her mind remember all it wanted to remember, letting her heart feel what it wanted to feel, and letting her eyes remember in the way they knew best. And when the last wisps of daylight had faded away, she had cried all she could. Splashing some cold water on her face, Daidouji Tomoyo blanked her face and set out to find her mother.

Eriol opened his eyes, breaking the dream-like state he had been in for most of the day. To his surprise, he was clutching something. Slowly prying off his fingers, he looked into the face of his wife. The bottom of his stomach dropped out, and he felt horrible. His face was barely reflected in the glass of the frame, and he looked at it carefully. His eyes were glazed over. Suddenly angry, he started to rub his eyes harshly when a soft light emanated from his side, touching all the dark corners of the court. Eriol's hand stopped, and he looked to his side slowly, knowing what he would find. Clutching the picture close to his heart, he looked into the face of his wife.

He opened his mouth to say something, to apologise somehow, but she placed a finger over her mouth. Laughing silently, she covered Eriol's eyes with her hand. Eriol let himself sink back, closing his eyes as—

"Nyah nyah…what're you gonna say now, boy? Huh? Huh? Come on, show me your best!""I'm just sorry, okay?"

_"In any case, I know that you'll make mine anyhow."_

"Okay, I made my wish. Eriol, it's time to go to bed. Oyasumi!"

_"I missed you a lot, you know."_

A figure appeared in the distances of his mind, running towards him. He looked down in his mind and saw himself, and then looked up as the figure continued to run towards him. When she burst into the light, Eriol just stared. Tomoyo ran into him, hugging him tight, released him, and then hugged him again. Stepping back, she twitched her nose, shaking her head at him as if she knew something he didn't. And then, with a last look back, she ran off and disappeared.

Eriol sat up straight, his eyes open again. Mina had disappeared, along with- after a period of frenzied searching, Eriol realised that his picture of her was gone too. Standing up, he opened his mouth to say something. "Mina, I…I'm…" He stopped when something floated down, accompanied by a beam of light and sparkles. It was a single daisy…the flower he had given her after their first, and only fight. Taking a deep breath, he tucked it away in his jacket.

He knew now.

oOo

Tomoyo looked at her mother, Sakura, and Li-kun. "I said, I want the wedding now."

"But the astrologer said that…" Sakura was confused.

"Sakura, there is no such thing as destiny. Dates don't bring happiness. I don't want to wait anymore. I want the wedding to occur soon."

Sonomi and Sakura started to say something, to disagree. But only Li-kun knew what to do. Silently, he went up to Tomoyo and placed his arms around her, sitting so that her head was resting on his shoulder. Tomoyo was taken aback for a split second, and then relaxed. All that was left was confronting and being content with her life ahead.

oOo

Sonomi hiked up her skirt and grabbed the chef's order, knowing full well that there were no extra hands to go out and buy the ingredients needed. Mentally going through her list of people from whom she could claim favours, she ran into the main house, dodged the gardeners setting up the ornamental plants, and sought out Tomoyo's aunt twice removed, who had showed up without responding to the invitation. After breathlessly explaining to her what needed to be bought, she ran back into the house, calculating the amount of time she would have to get ready after she checked in with the aisle designer.

She bumped into yet another person, a red-haired lady with a large purse, who turned around. "I'm sorry, Ms…"

The lady smiled and tugged on the sleeve of another man who was standing in the middle of the crowd, not doing anything. "Ms. Nakuru, Daidouji-san."

Sonomi was sure that she had heard that name before, and was about to say so when the man turned around. Sonomi knew that if she had been holding anything, she probably would have dropped it. The man in front of her could only be…but Sakura had said…Li had said…Tomoyo couldn't know…

The man bowed to her, his face showing that he was exceedingly nervous. "I'm…Hiiragizawa Eriol, Daidouji-san. Tomoyo and I, we studied together—"

"—in college. Yes, I know, Tomoyo told me." Sonomi searched for something to say that would quell her sudden rush of anger. How dare he show up now? Now, when it was too late? "I'm so sorry that I can't stay…Tomoyo decided just day before yesterday that she wanted to have her wedding and I'm in a rush, trying to coordinate everything. Oh, please wait a second. Sata, find someone to welcome the Father, and direct anyone carrying vegetables to the kitchen. I'll…be there in a second. I'm sorry…please, have a seat. I'll get back to you as soon as I'm ready." Her frustration vaporized as something inexplicable died in his eyes. "I…" She was swept away, speechless.

Eriol watched her go, swivelling his neck to release some of the tension from the flight. He looked around for everyone, but frowned when he noticed that someone was missing. "Nakuru, Spinel, where's Tomoyo-chiibi?"

Nakuru shrugged, her attention already drawn towards a tall, dark-haired man trying to hide behind a pillar. "She said something about something and then ran up some steps somewhere…" her voice drifted off as she walked towards the said pillar, Spinel frantically trying to remove himself from her handbag.

Eriol rolled his eyes, thankful that some things never changed. The Daidouji mansion was enormous, and at this rate he'd never find her…taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. Her presence was faint, cloaked by her tendency to suppress her feelings. His feet led him to a single, small door that was open to the left of the main staircase. He walked inside, only to find another set of doors. Groaning, he began to systematically open them. "Tomoyo?" he called.

oOo

Tomoyo picked at the tip of one of the fingers on her elbow-length gloves, creating a small bump in the fabric that she knew would irritate her later. Dropping her hand to the side, she looked up at the stars above her balcony.

_Look, a shooting star! I swear I didn't create it…come on, let's make a wish._

To be honest with herself—which, she noted ruefully, she rarely was—she didn't think that she'd ever forget him. She hadn't ever forgotten him, not for a moment. The more she thought about it, she wasn't quite sure how she managed to suppress him long enough to get anything done. Because, well, she loved him.

But the problem was always the same: he never quite got it and she didn't have the courage to risk everything for him. Years ago, she'd chosen an unspoilt memory of a friendship, and now she couldn't disappoint everyone.

She wondered, of course, what would have happened if she'd pushed. What would have happened if she'd kissed him? If she'd confessed? If she hadn't run away and gotten married?

She hated the word 'if.'

The door behind her opened. Sakura, Li-kun, and her mother had been coming up in what she'd humourlessly coined suicide watch shifts, as if all three were worried she'd pitch herself headfirst over the balcony. "I'm fine, I'm fine…" she muttered, turning.

"Are you really?" the all-too-familiar voice asked.

The funny part was, of course, that she wasn't surprised in the slightest. "Hello," she said tiredly. "How'd you get here?"

"What are you doing?" he responded, ignoring her question.

Tomoyo turned away. He wasn't going to do this. It was the train all over again, and this time she had a whole crowd of people downstairs to disappoint. "Getting married."

"Tomoyo…"

And at that she was furious. "Please, Eriol, just leave! What more do you want from me?"

His voice was so faint she could barely hear him. "Do you really want me to leave?"

Nodding was all she could do; she didn't quite trust her voice.

"I…I don't know what I'm doing here, I guess. I just…"

Yes?

"Well…I suppose I just…wanted to know…"

It took all her self-control not to bang her head on the railing. "You wanted to know? _You_ wanted to know? What more do you want to _know_, you spineless, pathetic excuse?" Her tone, harsh and accusatory, rang throughout the room. "How much more can _I_ tell _you_? How much _more_ do you need, your royal highness?"

"Tomoyo, I—"

"Don't you 'Tomoyo' me! You come in here, what, expecting me to fall into your arms and unburden all my problems? Confess my deepest, darkest desires? _It doesn't work that way_!"

"Then how does it work?" his voice was stronger now, pleading.

Tomoyo turned around, willing herself to stay strong. "Don't _you_ have anything to say?"

They looked at one another for a long moment. Eriol finally looked away. "Just that I…I…"

She found herself leaning closer in spite of herself.

"…I am so sorry."

A choked sob escaped her throat as she collapsed in a chair. She obviously still had tears to shed blinking furiously to keep them from ruining her makeup. "Not enough…" she whispered to herself.

"And I love you."

She blinked once. Twice. Eriol's face swam into her vision. He was on one knee, his hands clasping hers.

"I love you, Tomoyo. I suspect…no, I _know_ that I've loved you for…oh, years. More than years. Probably since the first day we met. I love…well, everything about you—you're lively and energetic but serious and thoughtful, too. You're gorgeous and know it but don't parade the fact around. Did you know that you bite the inside left corner of your bottom lip when you're trying to remain calm?"

Tomoyo, who had been doing just that, wondered whether it was simply her lot in life to be eternally frustrated. She did not want to hear this. Not now. Not when it was too late. "But Mina-san…"

A gentle smile broke out on Eriol's face. "I loved Mina, true, but don't you realize it was because you had gone? That day when you left…I think I got it as the train pulled away. Which was, of course, too late…"

How many times had she thought about writing to him after she'd left? If only…_no_. No 'ifs.' "Eriol, I'm getting married today. Please just leave." She looked up at him, trying to put some emphasis behind her words.

He looked at her for a long moment, his stare inscrutable. He then reached into his pocket, and for a wild moment Tomoyo thought he was going to propose—and then he pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at a tear that Tomoyo hadn't noticed fall.

She closed her eyes, willing for the entire situation to end. _Leave me to my choice, why don't you?_

And then suddenly, wordlessly, she felt the gentle, loving kiss of her dreams. Before she could properly register what was going on—before she could stand and gladly run away for a lifetime of such kisses—he was gone, and her veil, shroud-like, was slowly fluttering into place

oOo

"Come in!" Kyoji called, hearing a faint knock on his door.

A small girl, with pale skin and black hair, slowly appeared, pushing with all her might against the thick oak door. "Ano…konbawa," she said.

Kyoji smiled good-naturedly at her. "Konbawa…do I know you?"

She shook her head. "No…no, you don't." Plunging forward, she said very quickly, "I'm just here to tell you that you can't marry Tomoyo-san."

"I—"

"—you just can't!"

There was a brief moment of silence. Despite the fact that he didn't even know from where this mysterious girl had come, Kyoji found himself asking, "And, pray tell, why can't I?"

"She…she's way too ugly for you, because you're so handsome!"

_Ah._ "Oh dear, you're completely right. Why didn't I notice it before?"

She ignored his attempt to play along. "She's also way too dedicated to her work. A total workaholic. With your schedule and her schedule, why, you'd never see each other."

If he had to guess, he'd say that she was probably a cousin who didn't want to see her beloved older cousin married away. "I'm completely dedicated to her. Trust me, I'll make it work. Are you…you look slightly like her, are you a cousin?"

The girl seemed to have lost her nerve, murmuring, "That's not it…that's not it…" as she backed away.

"What's not it?"

She looked at him once, desperately, before the door began to close. Her lips were moving, but he could barely hear what she was saying.

He took a step towards her, straining his ears.

"…and she loves him back," she was saying, "even if she'll never admit it. They've always loved each other—" Despite its weight, the closed gently, with a hardly discernable 'click.'

Kyoji strode forward and threw open the door. "She loves him? Who's 'him?' Hello?" But his voice simply echoed up and down the empty hallway.

oOo

There was nothing left for it—the time for the wedding had come.

Tomoyo waited by the main doors, not listening as Sakura said something about being happy and finding joy.

Eriol sat near the back, wishing that he'd made his escape while he still could—he didn't think that he could stand to watch the love of his life marry another man. A complete clichéd sap, that's what he was.

Tomoyo smiled at Sakura—or tried to, at least, because the look on her friend's face indicated that what she'd coined a smile was more a grimace. They clasped one another's hands, and then Sakura was leading the way, and it was time.

Eriol refused to make eye contact with Tomoyo as she swept up the aisle. She was breathtakingly beautiful, but he fancied that she looked slightly diminished. Or maybe he'd just like to torture himself by thinking that she could have been walking towards him. Dear lord. He needed to leave.

Tomoyo reached the makeshift altar and handed her bouquet to Sakura. She turned to face Kyoji…who wasn't watching her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Eriol quietly slipping out of the hall. She refocused on her to-be-husband. That's the way it had to be.

oOo

Kyoji couldn't help but notice the mini-drama taking place near the exit and knew immediately what was going on. That girl—that little girl—had to be Hiiragizawa's daughter. Tomoyo. And Hiiragizawa had just left the hall. He glanced at his fiancée. Behind her veil, her eyes were strangely tired-looking, as if she'd just cried.

It had been nice while it had lasted, he guessed.

"Tomoyo," he whispered as the priest began droning, "I think your game's up."

"What?"

"Hiiragizawa was more than your friend, wasn't he?"

"What…who told you that?"

He wanted to chuckle. "Your entire family has this habit of _not_ denying things that are true."

"I…Kyoji, look, it's not like that…"

"Really?" He was finding it hard not to be slightly upset. After all, being in a loveless marriage would have affected more than just her. "Could you tell me right now you don't love him?"

"…no." Her voice was so quiet as to be indistinguishable.

"Then I think this ceremony's gone on long enough, don't you?"

"What? Kyoji, no, stop—"

"Excuse me," he said to the priest, before turning to face the assembled guests. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry to say—that is, we, Tomoyo and I, are sorry to say that tonight's festivities are going to be cut short. Sorry for the inconvenience! Now," he added, in an undertone, "if I stay up here, you can make a getaway and hopefully catch up to your man without too much commotion."

"Kyoji—"

"Honestly, Tomoyo? After what I just did and what I'm going to go through, I'd be pretty pissed off if you didn't run after him." It was the truth, and for once, her face betrayed her lack of control over the situation. It was an odd sight to see.

She exhaled and shook herself slightly. "I'm off now," she said, "and I wish you the best of luck."

And with that, Kyoji watched the one he loved walk back down the aisle and out the door.

oOo

Tomoyo watched Eriol from a distance as he played listlessly with his fingers, weaving them in and out of one another with no specific purpose. She wondered why he hadn't just left—perhaps, like her, he couldn't help but subject himself to painful situations. They both had the same…genetic defect.

She carefully gathered up her dress and walked towards him, sitting next to him without a word. She noted, smiling, that he didn't even flinch at the sight of her, in her wedding dress, sitting beside him.

They were both really too unflappable for their own goods.

'Fancy seeing you here' sounded too cliché, and 'Why are you here?' was idiotic in the extreme because she knew the answer, so she settled for practical. "We should probably get moving before people start coming out."

He shrugged.

"As in two minutes ago."

He appeared to…was he shaking his head? "Tomoyo, I can't let you—"

"Not _again_!" Tomoyo shrieked, standing up. "I thought we _just _did this!"

Now he looked confused. "Did what? You're making a mistake, I know you are…I missed my chance and I know it. I've come to terms with it. I'm sorry for…for confessing, for scaring you. Why are you tormenting me?"

"Tormenting…I just _walked out_ of my wedding. I'm done, I'm free, and I'm not going to wait."

"I'm glad for you," he said, his tone suggesting that those words were as far from the truth as possible. "And I want you to know that I value your friendship, if…if you think we can still be friends."

And then she knew—her idiot otomodachi simply didn't get it—"Eriol, you fool, I love you."

The look on his face remained guarded.

"What did you think? Of course I love you. I've always loved you. I've waited for you all these years, something inside me hoping beyond hope that one day you'd just wake up and realise that—"

At that she dropped her rant as Eriol stood up and kissed her, his arms encircling her as he pulled her close.

Behind a bush in the corner, Tomoyo sat back on her heels and smiled, content.

--Finished—

wicherwill.


End file.
